ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (WHAT THE TECH?) — Scammers are again trying to profit from tragedy with donation scams in the wake of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton ready to make landfall.

Scammers are using fake online charities to trick people wanting to donate to rescue and rebuilding efforts. Their scams can be hard to spot too.

The safest way to give is directly to a verified charity such as the American Red Cross, Samaritan’s Purse or the Salvation Army. You can do that through their websites.

If you hear of another charitable organization, check them out to verify they’re real by using the Better Business Bureau’s Give.org website. Give.org looks into their finances, fundraising information and organizational structure. All things that should check out for a legitimate nonprofit.

Charitynavigator.org is a website that tracks nonprofits and charities. This trusted website recommends verified charities currently helping hurricane victims.

Be wary of charities asking for money on social media. If you do give, avoid using a debit card or a cash-sharing app. Make donations with a check or credit card.

Don’t respond to unsolicited requests for donations via email, phone or texts.

GoFundMe is the most popular site for crowd-sourced charitable giving. These campaigns often benefit a specific business or family. GoFundMe says fraud and fake campaigns are rare. But they can and do happen, especially after disasters.

Look for verified campaigns. These have been reviewed by GoFundMe.

Look for campaigns with specific details about the organizer and the beneficiary.

Donations through GoFundMe are insured. If they find a campaign is fake, they will refund your donation.

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