Steps To Take In Vetting Scam Fundraisers Amid Texas Floods

The recovery efforts are underway in the Texas Hill County after catastrophic river flooding in the region. In total, over 100 people have died, making the event deadlier than Hurricane Harvey in 2017. As Texans always do in natural disasters, many are looking to give money and resources to those in need.

But with any disaster comes the morally bankrupt scammers, who will set up fundraisers for their own benefit. Once again, you need to be on the lookout for these opportunists as the recovery operations continue in central Texas.

Criminologist Dr. Alex Del Carmen says this is nothing new.

"There are people who take advantage of our moment of prayer and reflection...to ask us to give them money in what appears to be legitimate websites...but unfortunately, they are not," he says.

There have been hundreds of volunteers flocking to the area to help, but some are unable, so money is the next best thing. There are already legitimate sites up for donations for those interested. The Kerr County Sheriff's Office says the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill County, their local 501(c)(3) charity, has established a fund.

Those funds will go to first responder agencies, nonprofit organizations and local governments involved in the recovery efforts. None of those donations will go to private families or individuals.

But nevertheless, there will inevitably be scammers who want to take advantage of a terrible opportunity. The good news though is there are ways to protect yourself against the opportunists.

"Go to the Better Business Bureau...you can see the legitimate sources that are out collecting money," says Del Carmen. "There are also components like Charity Navigator, they are vetting a lot of these entities asking for money...making sure they are legitimate, and the money is going to the right place."

He adds that the scamming will really ramp up the longer we become removed from the event, when families become more in need.

You can never get rid of those morally corrupt bad actors in our world. But at least you can protect yourself from aiding in their moral degradation.