Hurricane Sandy Stirs Up Scams, Be Cautious

Several scams have already been reported related to Hurricane Sandy.

Secretary of State Connie Lawson noted that telephone salespeople, advertisements and internet postings that promote investment tools or bonds to help storm victims should be a red flag for investors.

Be aware of the rush of solicitations that follow a highly publicized natural disaster or other crises. Fraudulent charity solicitations have been reported where credit card information has been stolen. If you want to give money to help with relief efforts, send to charities with an established track record, like the American Red Cross.

You are urged not to give to individuals who advertise the need for aid on Facebook, Craigslist, Twitter or other social media sites. Hang up on aggressive callers promoting hurricane-related investments and delete unsolicited email or internet messages discussing small companies with new hurricane-related technologies or products.