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How to prepare for and recover from a storm and avoid charity scams
(September 12, 2018) - - Today, The Federal Trade Commission published the following information:
The 2018 hurricane season has arrived. The Federal Trade Commission has information to help you prepare for, deal with, and recover from the long-term impacts of a hurricane, as well as information on giving wisely to help those in need.
Preparing for a Storm
- Organize your finances. Keep your financial documents up to date, accessible, and portable.
- Check your insurance. See if your home, health, or other insurance policy will cover temporary shelter, replacement clothing, furniture, out-of-network medical services, or other items.
- Flood-proof your home. Prepare for flooding by buying flood insurance and writing a flood response plan; visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for more information.
- Plan for your pets. Visit ready.gov/animals for tips on how to prepare.
- Ready.gov
- FEMA’s Community and Family Preparedness Program and download the FEMA Smartphone App
- American Red Cross Community Disaster Education and download Red Cross Mobile Apps
- Be alert to charity scams. Scammers may target potential donors, even if you don’t live near the disaster.
- When you consider giving to a specific charity, search its name plus “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.”
- Do some research to ensure that your donation will go to a reputable organization that will use the money as promised. Check out the charity with the Better Business Bureau's (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, or GuideStar.
Courtesy: Federal Trade Commission
