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Wildfire donation scams: Be cautious, and verify organizations before giving

As wildfires continue to ravage California, local efforts to support victims are underway, but authorities warn of potential donation scams.

By: Taylor Nimmo

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In the wake of the California wildfires, local efforts to support victims are underway, but authorities warn of potential donation scams. The Better Business Bureau cautions that scammers often exploit such disasters to steal money from well-meaning donors.

"Tragedies and natural disasters always present an opportunity for scammers and other bad actors to take advantage of people, it's just an unfortunate reality," said Amber Zigler, a Charity Accreditation Specialist with the Better Business Bureau.

Donna Speigel, owner of the Snooty Fox consignment shop, initiated a local donation drive for books, toys and shoes to aid fire victims, inspired by her connection to the affected area. People across the Tri-State stepped up quickly and donated many items to help.

"It's thousands of pieces. I've got 10 locations, and every location is just like this store, just oodles of things, boxes and bags," Speigel said, noting the overwhelming response from Cincinnati residents.

Speigel said they received many items that will be shipped to California, so they are no longer accepting donations.

If you’re wondering where and how you can help, the Better Business Bureau shares how you can verify an organization is legit, so you don’t waste your money:

Research organizations before giving, looking for specific information about how the charity is helping.
Websites that use vague language or stock/AI-generated images may be a red flag
If you get a call, text or email asking for help, Google it to make sure it's legit

"So just a charity, saying they provide just aid or assistance is a little too vague. You want information about 'are they providing supplies? Are they providing housing? Are they providing food?'" Zigler said.
Zigler recommends looking for details regarding how specifically the charity is helping those in the affected area. She said the use of stock photos and AI-generated images on websites can also be red flags for scams.

“Your best course of action is to go to your favorite search engine and look up the name of the charity that you're interested in donating to, and make sure you access their actual site that way, and you can make a donation from their site,” Zigler said.

Although Snooty Fox has stopped collecting due to the high volume of donations, those looking to contribute can find a list of legitimate charities, including Matthew 25 in Cincinnati, on the Better Business Bureau's website.

"Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. ("Scripps").

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