Article originally published as a press release
Naples, Florida (August 30, 2017) – Local Estate & Trust Attorney, Edward E. Wollman, warns the public of fraudulent charities capitalizing on the Hurricane Harvey disaster.
Over the past few days the American public has been inundated with shocking images of the destruction left behind from Hurricane Harvey. The sad plight of families, children, senior citizens, and animals has left many people feeling powerless and wishing they could help. Since physically visiting affected areas isn’t realistic for most, financial donations are the next best thing. However, it is always important to proceed with caution.
Fake aid organizations and donation links established by enterprising criminals are an unfortunate reality after disaster strikes. Scammers seeking to exploit the Hurricane Harvey relief effort are moving quickly to catch people at the height of their concern and compassion for victims. Although many charitable funds are established by well meaning individuals, there are just as many con artists who won’t hesitate to capitalize on human suffering.
“It is wonderful that our community has stepped up so quickly to support the relief efforts going on in Texas,” says Edward E. Wollman, a local Trust & Estate Attorney who presented Charity Schemes & Scams at the Community Foundation of Collier County earlier this month.
“However, it is essential that funds are funneled through the proper channels to avoid what happened in the aftermath of Sept. 11th and Hurricane Katrina. Those are just two examples of disasters which prompted thousands of scam organizations set up to defraud generous donors. We recommend contacting the Community Foundation of Collier County for help determining the best organizations for your monetary contributions.”
The Community Foundation of Collier County (CFCC) connects charitable contributions to community needs and helps donors positively impact nonprofit organizations, both today and beyond their lifetime. For the past 30 years, this public, tax-exempt charitable foundation has focused and increased personal philanthropy in our area with generous community support.
For more information about CFCC, please call 239-649-5000 or visit www.cfcollier.org.
Visit www.probate-florida.com to read more about this subject and other important estate planning matters.
Edward E. Wollman is a Florida Bar Board certified Attorney and founding Partner of Wollman, Gehrke & Solomon, PA, specializing in probate, trusts, and estate law. He is very active in the local philanthropic community in addition to regular speaking engagements.