As Hurricane victims in Puerto Rico and Florida assess the damage from recent storms, the Better Business Bureau reminds those who want to help those in need to choose their charity carefully.

The images from Hurricane Ian that touched down in Florida last week are unimaginable. 1000s of homes and businesses were utterly destroyed. Lives changed forever.

As quickly as the storms moved in and out of the area, people from around the US wanted to step in and help, whether with goods, services, or monetary donations.

The Better Business Bureau reminds residents that not all charities are the same and that scammers establish fake charities to cash in when people are most generous. The BBB warns to be wary of charities that advertise they’ll donate 100% of their donations.

Also, be aware of unknown charities in your social media feeds claiming to work with a well-known charity relief organization. Also, be cautious of crowdfunding pleas because it can be hard to track who’s responsible for the donations or where they end up.

You can do a free search for accredited businesses or charities at bbb.org, where you can also read the BBB’s Charity Reviews and 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. For 89 9 KRPS, I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro