Over 140 people thousand are dead.
About 2 million people are hungry, without shelter, an ability to earn a living, thirsty, hurt, in temporary refugee camps, living through aftershocks…

By now the world has seen the devestation. And as reputable aid agencies and governments try to bury the dead, feed and shelter over a vast number of people over vast distances and coastlines - out come the criminals and the vultures that are not moved by compassion. Crimes of opportunity are a reality and we need to be wise.

Corpses are robbed or held for ‘ransom.’
As lists of the missing are posted, their homes are robbed.
Grieving family and friends are targeted by email scammers and opportunists

Disaster brings out compassion - and con artists.
As you chose to give, here are a few ways you can help keep the con artists in check.

1) Do not answer or respond to any aid email unless you know who you are writing back to.
2) If you suspect you’ve been targeted by a con email - turn it over to government, police and your ISP
2) If someone shows up at your door soliciting aid, ask for their charity registration and a local phone number . Take a minute to follow through with a phone call see if reputable solicitors are canvessing (Here in Canada they probably won’t be)
3) Do not give at a booth set up in a mall or on the street - if the appeal is urgent, it’s most probably a scam. Take that extra step and go to the Red Cross office or the local office of what you know is a reputable charity
4) Don’t give your credit card number in a phone solicitation or email plea for aid.
Ask the phone solicitor for the ‘charity registration’ number, and the ‘office’ number. Go online and check it against the real deal, check with the Better Business Bureau; or, better yet, hang up.
5) Be vigilent about ‘phishing’. IdeaJoy explains how that scam works.
6) If you have a family member or friend on a missing list, check their property and home, or quietly ask police or someone you know in their neighbourhood to do it for you.
7) Reputable Canadian charities are registered here.

This Canadian college student and US free-lance journalist found themselves in the media spotlight when a web domain address went up for sale on E-bay.