Audio Transcript

Mollie Halpern: History shows scam artists exploit tragedies like the events unfolding in Japan. The FBI says to use caution when making donations in the aftermath of natural disasters. After Haiti’s quake last year, more than 350 complaints about fraudulent activity were reported.

Pamela Vanderburg: There are scam artists that would take tremendous advantage of catastrophes.

Halpern: I’m Mollie Halpern with the Bureau, and this is “FBI, This Week.” Supervisory Special Agent Pamela Vanderburg says fraudsters particularly take advantage of older Americans. But, it can happen to anyone through solicitations over the Internet, phone, and other methods.

Vanderburg: You should be reaching out as a citizen if you feel like you have an obligation to donate money; you shouldn’t be answering solicitations from others.

Halpern: If you do make a donation, use a credit card.

Vanderburg: Your credit card can be followed and if you determine that it is, in fact, bogus then you have the ability to try to get your money back.

Halpern: Report suspicious solicitations to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov