When donating to victims of disasters and tragedies, how can you ensure that your money reaches the right people?

Half Moon Bay, California (KGO) — California has been hit by one disaster after another during this short New Year. First an epic storm, then he had two mass shootings within a week. One happened here in Half Moon Bay.

As always, many of us want to find ways to help victims of catastrophes as soon as possible. And as usual, scammers use this to set up fake her websites and fundraising campaigns. The Better Business Bureau tells us to avoid falling for scams and make sure the money goes to those who really need it.

Powerful storms have hit the state for weeks, knocking down trees, flooding homes, and sweeping them down hillsides.

The storm finally stopped, but the relief was too short. Eleven dead in Monterey Park shooting. Later, there was another mass shooting at Half Moon in his bay, killing seven people.

“What’s next? Everything is being thrown at us,” said John Williams of Half Moon Bay.

“We felt like we were on the other side of the storm and starting to rebuild,” said Hannah Huckabee, also of Half Moon Bay.

A fundraiser is being held for the shooting and storm victims. The Better Business Bureau says to make sure you’re donating to real victims.

Alma Galvan of the Better Business Bureau said, “As human beings, it’s our nature to help out whenever we can.” So there are people creating fake websites and asking for donations.They are creating fake stories.”

“Make sure the dollars you’re giving to these charities are actually going to real causes. And unfortunately, don’t fall victim to the stories we’re doing here.” Please,” Galvan said.

Scammers often create fake websites and social media posts claiming to collect money for their victims.

“Make sure it’s actually related to the cause. Often the city is wrong, the zip code is wrong, or the image is very distorted,” says Galvan. “Those are huge red flags.”

Scammers also hack social media accounts and send direct messages to groups demanding money to help victims.

“This is actually the situation they’re posting on social media, and it takes less than a minute to confirm that it’s a true story.

Fake fundraisers sometimes use stolen or stock photos to make their stories look authentic. A Google search for the photo will show you the true source. For example, one image of her on the fake listing turns out to be a stock photo used on dozens of sites.

Other tips:

• Donate only on secure platforms that encrypt your banking information. The URL starts with https and has a lock icon in the corner.
• Also, look into the crowdfunding platform’s fees.
• Donations to non-profit organizations are tax deductible, but donations to specific people are non-deductible.

“And if you don’t have money to donate, taking the time to give back to the community is the same thing that I really appreciate,” Galvan said.

This is exactly what the people of Half Moon Bay do. Hannah Huckabee said, “I actually bring coffee and breakfast to my family.

The BBB also warns that these fake fundraising campaigns aren’t just after money, they’re also after identity and banking information. The BBB provides a list of charities that meet accountability standards and raise funds for storm victims.

Statement from the Better Business Bureau:

Timing of transparency is important.

It is even more important for the organization to explain how the funds were spent after the funds were raised for the tragedy. A transparent organization will post this information on their website so that anyone can find it and do not have to wait for future financial statements to become available.

The following organizations are BBB accredited charities (i.e., have met 20 BBB criteria for charity accountability) and are currently raising funds to support California storm relief efforts. announced in Additional BBB accredited charities will be added as we learn more about our flood relief efforts.

For more information and to find out about other accredited charities, visit give.org.

Check out more stories and videos by Michael Finney and 7 On Your Side.

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