Scam of the Week: Hurricane Scams

Scammers will frequently use high-profile events, such as natural disasters, to try to trick you. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in the United States, scammers have wasted no time in turning this situation to their advantage. They've been using AI to generate fake images that play on your emotions, to get you to donate your money to help people who have been affected by the disaster. Recently, an image of a scared little girl holding a puppy and being evacuated from a flood area has been circulating on Facebook and other social media.

However, this image is fake. The scammers are trying to trick you into clicking a link to "donate" to a fake relief effort or to steal your personal information. In either case, their goal is to get you to act impulsively. If you donate money or enter any personal information, it will not help any victims who were impacted by the hurricane. However, it will help the scammers steal your money and your data!

Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to a hurricane scam: 

• Be wary of AI-generated images. Look for signs that an image might be fake, such as unusual details or inconsistencies. 
• Make sure that the charity you’re donating to is legitimate. Only donate through the official websites of well-known charitable organizations.

Don't act impulsively. Take time to research before donating or clicking on links, especially in the aftermath of a disaster.