BBB: Be aware of scammers in wake of Hurricane Dorian

BOISE, Idaho — Hurricane Dorian devastated the Bahamas when it made landfall as a Category 5 storm this week.

Scammers are already trying to take advantage of those donating to help the victims. The Better Business Bureau says the Treasure Valley is known as a "charitable city", so international scam artists prey on us when a crisis hits

The BBB wants to remind everyone to never give personal or financial information by phone or email.

If you'd like to help victims of Hurricane Dorian, make sure to check with BBB first to verify the organization is trustworthy.

Here are some of the groups and organizations in Florida and the U.S. gathering supplies to assist victims.

WHERE TO DONATE:

• Charity Navigator compiled this list of reputable charities committed to helping the Bahamas
• American Red Cross
• The Salvation Army
• Sol Relief
• Caring for the Bahamas
• Bahamas Ministry of Tourism

WHAT TO DONATE:

Do not donate expired or unusable items. Other tips to keep in mind: find out if the charity has an on-the-ground presence in the impacted areas and if it's providing direct aid or raising money for other groups. Remember to be cautious about gifts of clothing, food or other in-kind donations and understand crowdfunding .

You can report suspected scams to the BBB Scam Tracker here .