How to Avoid Fake Charities After a Hurricane, Flood, or Wildfire

After a hurricane, flood, wildfire, or other disaster makes the news, two kinds of scams reliably follow within days. First, fake charities ask for donations. Second, callers pretend to be FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) and ask for money or personal information from people in the affected area.

Fake charities often register web addresses that include the disaster's location or name, paired with words like "help," "relief," or "fund." They push donation requests through texts, emails, and social media posts. These are designed to look urgent and legitimate at a glance — which is exactly why a quick pause before donating matters.

FEMA scams work differently. A caller claims to represent FEMA. They either ask for a fee to "process" a disaster assistance application, or ask the survivor to confirm banking information to "release" a grant. FEMA's own consumer guidance says this is a reliable red flag by itself: FEMA never charges a fee for disaster assistance applications, inspections, or grants. FEMA also never asks a survivor to confirm full banking details over an unsolicited call. Wearing a FEMA-style shirt or jacket is not proof of identity either — scammers have used both.

The safest approach to either scam is the same: verify independently before you give any money or information. Look up the charity or agency yourself, rather than trusting a link or phone number a stranger gave you.

(Sources: FEMA.gov press releases on post-disaster fraud; Federal Communications Commission consumer guides — fcc.gov; AARP Fraud Watch Network — aarp.org)