How to determine if that GoFundMe or Charity request is authentic.
Flash floods in Texas killed 82 people and 41 remain missing
At least 82 people have been killed and 41 remained unsuccessful after a catastrophic flash flood in central Texas. The most intense hit area is Kerr County.
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- Financial contributions are the most effective way to support them, with several reputable organizations accepting funds.
- Scammers are popular during disasters. Please investigate the charity before making a donation and avoid suspicious requests.
Disaster relief efforts are ongoing in central Texas, helping victims affected by the fatal July 4 flash flood that killed more than 100 people as search and rescue teams continue to rock the Guadalupe River due to a score that is still missing.
Camp Mystic, a Christian girl camp on the edge of the river, confirmed that at least 27 campers and counselors had died in the flood. Camp officials said five campers and one counselor were still missing. As of July 8, rescue workers were searching for at least 161 other people in Kerr County, one of the state’s hardest hit areas, Greg Abbott said.
Relief organizations, including the Red Cross and World Central Kitchen, helped those affected, were in the area for days. GoFundMe fundraising has emerged beyond the internet.
Unfortunately, there are con artists ready to take advantage of their generosity whenever there is a disaster and people want to help.
Here’s how to pitch without causing a scam:
Give money
Of course, the fastest way is to send money.
While there is often an urge to send water, blankets, food and other items, charities are not always ready to handle logistical nightmares of organizing, sorting, storing and distributing physical goods. Donating money to a trusted charity means going where you need it most and what you need now.
Charities often receive large discounts and may purchase items in disaster areas to help local economic recovery.
There may be times when you need items, but in the beginning it’s money.
How can I make my money reach the victims of the Texas flood?
Scammers often try to take advantage of catastrophic emergencies. Do some research before making a donation to an unfamiliar charity.
Easy way: Google the name of charity along with words like “scam”, “scam”, “complain”, “complain”, “rating”.
You can also research it with one of the organizations that evaluate charities. This is the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance (Give.org), Charity Navigator (CharityNavigator.org), Guidestar (Guidestar.org), or CharityWatch (CharityWatch.org).
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice maintains a list of approved charities.
If a social media post, email, or text from a charity appears with a name that you recognize, then don’t assume it is from an organization. It could be a scammer. Please do not click on the link. Instead, go directly to the charity website and donate.
Don’t donate to a message asking for cryptocurrency. The Federal Trade Commission has a page on detecting cryptocurrency fraud at FTC.gov/cryptocurrency. Also, avoid paying in cash with gift cards or wires.
Pay with a credit card or keep a record of your contribution so you can check it later to make sure you’ve been charged the correct amount. The FTC also has these tips to keep in mind.
- Don’t let anyone hurry you and donate. That’s what a scammer does.
- Some scammers will try to fool you by thanking you for donations you have never made.
- The scammer changes the caller ID to show calls like they are from a local acre code.
- Some scammers use names that look very similar to the names of actual charities. This is one of the reasons why you need to pay to do the investigation before giving it.
- The con man makes a lot of vague and sentimental claims, but he doesn’t give details on how your donations are used.
- Fake organizations may argue that your donation is tax-deductible when it is not.
- Guaranteed a prize money in exchange for a donation is not just fraudulent, but it is illegal.
If you are dealing with charitable fraud or believe you are a victim of fraud, file a complaint with the state attorney general and report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to help others get affected.
Can you trust GoFundMe fundraisers for Texas flood victims?
GoFundMe fundraisers for people affected by the flood are already piling up on popular crowdfunding sites.
While these are great ways to help individuals in need and bring their faces to donors, they are also easy ways to scam as social media is filled with both real flood victims and carefully crafted, disastrous stories. Unless you’re sure your fundraiser is legal, read the campaign carefully and avoid donating.
Gofundme’s dedicated hub for Texas flood claims has been confirmed to be legal.
What country organizations support Texas flood victims?
American Red Cross: Always one of the first groups of the world’s most renowned aid organizations, the Red Cross provides food, shelters, supplies and emotional support to victims of the crisis. According to X’s post, it has opened shelters and two reunification centres in the already affected areas. You can contribute to National Group’s flood relief efforts in Texas.
Americans: Americares focuses on medical assistance and helps the community recover from disasters with access to medicine and provide personal protective equipment and medical supplies. The organization announced on July 8th that they deployed emergency response teams to the region. You can help at my.americares.org/give/623705
World Central Kitchen: When a disaster strikes, chef Jose Andre sets up kitchen facilities with his team and begins to serve thousands of meals to victims and responders. You can help by donating to their website.
Salvation Army: Another group that appears on the ground when disasters occur, Carville’s Salvation Army Clock Center coordinates and accepts donations of fresh food, personal hygiene products, diapers and other items while providing regular updates on its Instagram page. According to a July 5 statement, the Salvation Army in Texas has also deployed a mobile kitchen and team, making donations here.
There are also many other organizations that provide specialized care and support.
All hands and heart: This volunteer-based organization works with local residents to help rebuild schools, housing and other community infrastructure. The group staged to help make flood relief efforts safe in Kerr County. Here you can donate to all your hands and hearts.
Direct relief: Direct relief provides long-term medical aid that local officials and agencies require particularly long-term medical aid. The organization has provided $50,000 to support the rapid deployment of emergency medical supplies and operational funds in affected areas, and has earned more than $90 million on medications and medical supplies available to healthcare providers, according to the website. You can donate to their general fund here.
Operation Blessing: The group will work with emergency management and local churches to bring clean water, food, medicines and more to those with immediate needs in disaster areas. They are on the ground in Texas, their website said. Please donate here.
Save the child: The organization works to acquire supplies for children in the hands of families that have been hit hardest by the storm, including hygiene kits, diapers, baby wipes and classroom cleaning kits to schools, as well as helping to recover childcare and early learning centres. They have not yet launched a flood campaign in Texas, but posted on X, “Save the Children is closely monitoring the situation and assessing how children will be affected.”
Do I need to head to the affected area and volunteer to help flood Texas victims?
No unless officially requested.
Disaster response teams and trusted organizations work on the ground, and random volunteers are theoretically evaluated, but there is no safety or medical training to help with disaster recovery.
To see how to sign up for volunteering, visit Texas Community Recovery.
Can I help my pets get hurt or left behind in the Texas flood?
There are many local organizations dedicated to supporting animals in affected areas.
Austin Pet Alive! As of July 6, it reported that it had ingested more than 150 animals from flood-affected areas and shelters in Kerr and Williamson County.
The shelter works to find and rescue animals along the riverbanks, and is seeking donations to provide support to families who have lost pets, including physical recovery and cremation services.
The shelter accepts donations on its website. They are working with Kerrville Pets Alive and accept donations through Venmo’s @kerrvillepetsalive.
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