The Internal Revenue Service is warning people to be alert for possible scams after the flooding in South Carolina.
IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said in a statement Friday that people should be careful when making donations for flood victims.
Koskinen says scam artists often try to impersonate charities to get money or private information after disasters occur.
He says those schemes can come by telephone, social media, email or in-person solicitors.
Koskinen suggests using the IRS.gov website to help check the status of charitable groups.
He says people should donate to recognized charities and be wary of charities with names that are similar to nationally known organizations.
Legitimate charities are also listed on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website at fema.gov.
Koskinen also warned against giving personal information such as Social Security numbers or credit card or bank account numbers to anyone soliciting a contribution.
One local contribution folks can make is to the Clarendon County Disaster Relief Fund. Make checks payable under that name and mail to c/o Clarendon County Government, 411 Sunset Drive, Manning, SC 29102. Donations are tax-deductible.
“Please keep in mind that our road to recovery is going to be a long journey,” Nelson said. “It won’t be long before individuals far away from here will forget about our situation. I would really appreciate everyone realizing the importance of supporting this fund, which will allow us to have continued support for those impacted by this flood.”
The Clarendon County Disaster Relief Fund will be administered by a committee composed of members of Clarendon County Council and local city and town councils within Clarendon County, along with representatives from school districts and local schools, Stewart said.
“These funds will be used for disaster relief assistance for Clarendon County residents solely,” he said.
