The world we live in is cruel and opportunistic. As our economy sinks and more people are left without jobs and/or stable living, those people turn to crime to fill the financial gap. Even during times of natural disasters, criminals see other peoples' plight as a chance to cash in on the generosity of others.
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| Hurricane Sandy's effect on New York |
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Even though hurricane Sandy hit almost a month ago, the devastation she left behind still has people without power and homes. These people need help, and with all these cries for donations come a few wolves in sheep's clothing.
Irs.gov has released an article about how to avoid giving your money to someone other than the victims of Sandy:
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Beware-of-Hurricane-Sandy-Scams.
Here is an excerpt from the article, and I hope that it helps you choose the right place to give your much-needed donation!
The IRS cautions both hurricane victims and people wishing to make
disaster-related charitable donations to avoid scam artists by following
these tips:
- To help disaster victims, donate to recognized charities.
- Be wary of charities with names that are similar to familiar or
nationally known organizations. Some phony charities use names or
websites that sound or look like those of respected, legitimate
organizations. The IRS website at IRS.gov has a search feature, Exempt
Organizations Select Check, which allows people to find legitimate,
qualified charities to which donations may be tax-deductible. Legitimate
charities may also be found on the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) Web site at fema.gov.
- Don’t give out personal financial information — such as Social
Security numbers or credit card and bank account numbers and passwords —
to anyone who solicits a contribution from you. Scam artists may use
this information to steal your identity and money.
- Don’t give or send cash. For security and tax record purposes,
contribute by check or credit card or another way that provides
documentation of the gift.
- Call the IRS toll-free disaster assistance
telephone number, 1-866-562-5227, if you are a hurricane victim with
specific questions about tax relief or disaster related tax issues.
Scam artists can use a variety of tactics. Some scammers operating
bogus charities may contact people by telephone to solicit money or
financial information. They may even directly contact disaster victims
and claim to be working for or on behalf of the IRS to help the victims
file casualty loss claims and get tax refunds. They may attempt to get
personal financial information or Social Security numbers that can be
used to steal the victims’ identities or financial resources.
Bogus websites may solicit funds for disaster victims. Such
fraudulent sites frequently mimic the sites of, or use names similar to,
legitimate charities, or claim to be affiliated with legitimate
charities, in order to persuade members of the public to send money or
provide personal financial information that can be used to steal
identities or financial resources. Additionally, scammers often send
e-mail that steers the recipient to bogus websites that sound as though
they are affiliated with legitimate charitable causes.
Taxpayers suspecting disaster-related frauds should visit IRS.gov and search for the keywords “Report Phishing.”
More information about tax scams and schemes may be found at IRS.gov using the keywords “scams and schemes.”
View my other articles about tax scams
to continue your education!
With
the economy in the shape it's in, people need all the money they make just
to make end's meat. Don't let someone take advantage of you and your
personal information to make their life easier by making your life
harder. We at Online Tax Pros hope you can benefit from this
information and have an awesome tax refund!
Please leave a
comment if you know of any other tax scams or other articles relating to people taking advantage of the victims of hurricane Sandy that are not listed here
so we can spread awareness! Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and their families.
