Red Cross -- As Charitable As We Think?

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Bass Babe

It's not so much that it's hard to get a handout, which is nice of them to be giving to whoever can manage to jump thru all the hoops to get it, it's that they're being touted as the best charity ever in the media and by their own selves, which I tend to disagree with. Be humble and helpful, like the Salvation Army. The Red Cross seems to be coming across as saviors to people who don't know better, and they're getting all this money thrown at them from different directions. I just hope it gets out to all the survivors in a quick, efficient, and fair manner.

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i heard today (bass babe) that we will be spending an additional 15 million dollars of our noble taxpayers money to have a crackerjack team of accountants traveling to the south to make sure personally that everything
is on the up and up and a thorough accounting is taken for all donations.

Unfortunately there are bunches of fake websites that are (phishing for those dollars) by setting up fake red cross websites that RESEMBLE the official red cross website and when you click on the icon you get re-directed to a fake site that pilfers your money and info. The Government has a task force busting these people as fast as they can but just like in the september 11th scenario a certain portion of those donations will be ripped off by the scumbags. they can only investigate so many at a time.

[Bass Babe]

Originally Posted by Raven

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Unfortunately there are bunches of fake websites that are (phishing for those dollars) by setting up fake red cross websites that RESEMBLE the official red cross website and when you click on the icon you get re-directed to a fake site that pilfers your money and info.

I'm sure that some people think that the flyers (for the charity we set up for my sister) our family put up around town, at our work, at supermarkets, etc. are fake, and it's a shame that people need to be paranoid about that. But we have gotten donations from people we don't know, offers of free places to stay up here for them, and one of the members here -- TBurg -- sent boxes of items down to help my sister and her family out. Despite the few bad apples with fake charities, I've really seen how genuinely good and selfless alot of people can be when faced with victims who need their help. It's been quite surprising, as I've never had too much faith in the kindness of others. I guess it just goes to show that when the chips are down, people are willing to help out, and that's really good to know. I'm glad there hasn't been too much of a focus on scams. Everyone, whether down south or up here, should be thinking positively.