FBI tackling rising number of relief scams

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Washington » Federal law enforcement officials have gotten more than 170 complaints about fundraising scams tied to Haitian earthquake relief, and they're bracing for more online cons using Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites.

Scams are growing more diverse, and the FBI has a special team of computer analysts, fraud investigators and white-collar crime experts reviewing complaints, says David Nanz, chief of the FBI's economic crimes unit.

"We're seeing a lot of computer-based fraud -- unsolicited e-mails, bogus Web sites," Nanz adds, plus "traditional stuff [in which] people are just raising money on the street fraudulently."

The FBI and at least five state attorneys general have issued alerts on Haiti relief scams:

In-person scams » These range from door-to-door solicitations for fake charities to more esoteric cons. On Jan. 22, for example, federal prosecutors charged a Michigan man with posing as an FBI agent to collect money "to help children in Haiti."

E-mail, texting scams » These include bogus e-mail solicitations from people claiming to be surviving victims or officials, Nanz says, or texting scams in which people are asked to follow up with a phone call and provide personal information.

Social networking scams » In one case, Nanz says, a person's Facebook account was hacked and all his contacts got messages to donate to a bogus charity. The risk with networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, is that fraudulent solicitations "get passed around and passed around," says Sandra Miniutti, a vice president of Charity Navigator, which vets nonprofits.

Suspect charities » Fraudulent Web sites have been set up to solicit money for nonexistent charities, Nanz says, including a fraudulent charity posing as a British affiliate of the American Red Cross.

Charity Navigator and Charitywatch.org, another group that rates nonprofits, have identified seven poor-performing charities that are soliciting money for Haiti relief.

"Choose the charity you want to [support] before you're asked," says Laurie Styron, a Charitywatch analyst.