BEND, OR -- With emotions running high following three firefighter deaths in Washington, and dozens of homes lost to fires in eastern Oregon, the Better Business Bureau warns scammers may try to take advantage. Sophie Dichter with the Oregon BBB tells KBND it’s not unusual for con artists to set up fake, official-sounding charities during a natural disaster. "We want to help, we want to donate, we want to do whatever we can. But, scammers prey on that. They know we’re already emotionally charged and we’re so eager to help. What we’ve seen happen in the past is that they’ll actually go door to door and use high-pressure tactics to try and get people to give to them and pocket the money."
She says demands for immediate cash should be a red flag. "Once you hand [cash] over, it’s gone. They will convince you, saying ‘it’s so much easier if you just give me a $20 bill.’ You’re so eager to help, a lot of times you don’t take that second to think clearly and say, maybe a check would be a better idea."
She also suggests you do your homework, "As a consumer, as a donor, it is up to us to do our research and get as much information as possible. So, ask them questions. Say, ‘specifically tell me where this money is going to go?’ And, a lot of times, scammers are not prepared. They can’t give you any specifics, they’ll talk in general terms and that will be a red flag. She says a legitimate charity should respond positively to requests for more information and offers to mail a check directly to an organization.
