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A 37 year old New York woman is charged scamming people looking to help victims in connection with the deadly school shooting in Connecticut.
Police say the woman posed as an anut of one of the children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary. Prosecutors say she used for Facebook account, telephone calls, and text messages asking for donations for what she called a funeral fund.
Scams like this are nothing new. There were similar scam following the shootings in Aurora, Colorado, Columbine High School, and even after the September 11th Terror Attacks.
FactFinder 12 has some tips to keep you from becoming a victim.
Do your research: The Better Business Bureau advises researching each charity when considering donations.
Avoid unfamiliar websites: The Better Business Bureau also suggests contacting charities directly before sending over money.
Request information in writing: Getting information in writing is a great test to see if the charity really is legitimate.
Be wary of charities with similar-sounding names: Often times charity scam artists will choose a name that is similar to the name of a legitimate charity on the chance that donors will mistake the hoax for the real deal.
Avoid "we're going to help the victims and families": Vague fundraising claims on the part of charities should immediately put up a red flag.