Federal officials are warning the public about fraudulent charitable donations that claim to assist victims and their families.

The FBI issued a public service announcement to warn of scammers that “exploit mass casualty events and disasters, such as the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans and the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, to commit fraud.”

“Scammers may pose as disaster relief agencies to collect personal information, conduct charitable fraud schemes, or commit fraud against disaster assistance programs,” it said. “Scammers may also impersonate official entities, celebrities, influencers, or other individuals.”

Last year, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 4,500 complaints reporting about $96 million in losses to fraudulent charities, crowdfunding accounts and disaster relief campaigns.

People are encouraged to do their own research before they donate and not to send payments or personal information to unknown people..

News by NBC LosAngeles