Help victims of Hurricane Harvey without being scammed

Hurricane Harvey’s unprecedented flooding has affected hundreds of thousands of people, be it their homes, businesses or cars.

As the flood waters recede, the need for assistance is going to skyrocket to unprecedented levels that will last for months, maybe years.

You can help, but keep some things in mind.

Money is the best way to help. Some organizations often allow donors say where they want their donation to go, but in most cases, you can’t be sure. Recognize that the organization will use your donation most efficiently.

Never send cash donations and never wire money. For security and tax purposes, it’s best to pay by check — made payable to the charity — or by credit card. Keep a record of the donation.

Donating online is secure and tracable. Do not provide your credit or check card number, bank account number or any personal information until you’ve thoroughly researched the charity.

You can start with the Texas VOAD member organizations. There’s the American Red Cross, which makes donating as quick as a text to “HARVEY.” United Way also has a recovery fund.

There’s also Charity Navigator, a longtime nonprofit that identifies trustworthy charities.

Be careful to avoid scammers. The Federal Trade Commission has a checklist about what to look for.

One of its top recommendations is to work with trusted disaster relief organizations with years of proven experience rather than with newly formed or unknown organizations.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends you review the organizations that are listed in the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster database.

Don’t work with anyone who claims to work with a charity and does the following:

• refuses to detail the charity’s identity, mission, costs and donation uses;

• won’t provide proof that the contribution is tax-deductible;

• uses a name that resembles a better-known nonprofit;

• thanks you for a pledge you don’t remember making;

• uses high-pressure tactics to cajole you into immediately donating;

• or asks you to wire money.

Money isn’t all you can give, though. The United Methodist Council on Relief sends in highly trained volunteers for the long term. As a result of the experiences from Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, they ask people to create cleaning and personal health kits. Read the council’s instructions on what specific materials to include and where to send them.

This story was originally published August 31, 2017 at 6:07 PM with the headline "Help victims of Hurricane Harvey without being scammed."