(WEST PALM BEACH, Florida)– In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, charitable organizations have requested monetary donations to help those worst hit by the superstorm.

While many of these organizations are reputable and use the donated funds to assist recovery efforts, others are scammers, stealing money from those trying to help.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), an agency of the Department Of Homeland Security, is warning people to be on the lookout for Hurricane-related scams that could come in the form of unsolicited emails, phone calls, and strangers knocking at the door.

The CISA also warns consumers to be wary of strange text messages, social media posts, and QR codes.

Ian Marlow, the CEO of the cybersecurity company FiTechGelb, spoke with our partners at WPTV, saying, “The first thing about making donations is to know who you’re dealing with,” 

To avoid being scammed, experts say, it’s best to give money only to established charities and to do that by going directly to their websites, or visit charitynavigator.org.

“It is a little bit more work, but at the end of the day, we know that we’re helping people,” Marlow concluded.

The CISA also encourages those who believe they are the victim of a scam to report it on their website.