01/20/2025

Beware of Charitable Fraud Related to Mass Casualty and Disaster Events

IC3.gov

The FBI is issuing this Public Service Announcement to warn the public that scammers exploit mass casualty events and disasters, such as the New Year's Day terrorist attack in New Orleans and the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, to commit fraud by soliciting fake charitable donations to support victims or their families. Scammers may pose as disaster relief agencies to collect personal information, conduct charitable fraud schemes, or commit fraud against disaster assistance programs. Scammers may also impersonate official entities, celebrities, influencers, or other individuals. For example, a scammer might pose online as a high-profile victim to solicit donations. Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be used to increase perceived legitimacy of a fraud or impersonation.

Criminals have used past crises as opportunities to target members of the public with fraudulent donation schemes. Scammers take advantage of catastrophic incidents — such as mass casualty events, terrorist attacks, war, natural disasters, or pandemics — to pose as charitable entities providing humanitarian aid or developing fundraising efforts, including monetary and cryptocurrency donations. Charitable fraud schemes associated with natural disasters are a common occurrence online as well as through in-person collection drives.