VIGO is a fast and secure way for you to send money to friends and relatives who have been affected by the earthquake in Haiti, and until February 15, 2010, SMCU is waiving the wire-transfer fees. The cash can be delivered to a VIGO payment location or deposited to an account, and there is no charge for picking up the funds.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning to Internet users to exercise caution when faced with requests for funds to help victims of Haiti’s January 12 earthquake.
It is an unfortunate fact that disasters such as this often prompt criminals to solicit contributions in the name of a bogus charity. To ensure that any donation you make goes to a legitimate source, the FBI recommends these guidelines:
- Do not respond to any unsolicited e-mails. To avoid the risk of a virus, do not click on any enclosed links or open photo attachments.
- Be wary of anyone who represents himself as a victim of the earthquake or as a Haitian official requesting donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
- If a soliciting organization claims to be a nonprofit, perform a Google search to verify its authenticity.
- Do not use the services of a third-party organization that offers to collect your money and pass it on to a charity. Instead, make contributions directly to organizations with which you are familiar.
- Do not give any personal or financial information to anyone soliciting contributions.
If you have received a suspicious e-mail or have fallen victim to an Internet hoax, notify the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
