All these websites are popping up asking for aid for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The government says that these sites are fraudulant and the only way to help is by donating to FEMA and the Red Cross. Well it has already been proven that FEMA has been the denying access of Red Cross deliveries and when they do allow it FEMA is in charge of it.

In order to register a website you have to pay by credit card or by check but these sites where up too quick to pay by check. Regardless of payment there is a paper trail back to the owner of the site. Why make a fraudulant site when you know it will be scrutinized?

IMO...FEMA just wants the money and supplies for themselves and not for the people of LA, MS, and AL. I think they are telling the American people these websites are frauds so people will only donate to them.

I am not saying however that all the sites are legit but I would be willing to bet that most are run by people who really want to help.

I don't know what your source is, but I did hear something similar on the radio while driving yesterday. What I got from it was merely a cautionary message, warning people to be careful of scam artists. They mentioned that some websites can have names very similar to the American Red Cross, for example, and just reminded people to "be careful".

It's really unfortunate that these types of warnings need to be issued, but the sad truth is there are some people who take advantage of a crisis. 9/11 and the tsunami were two high-profile examples. And just this week, there was a guy on a downtown Boston street holding a can that had "Donate to Katrina Victims" written on it. Now he may have been on the up and up, but I sorta doubt it.

Every business around here has a money jar out. Should I not put my change in the one at the local Tubby's Subs because the cashier might pocket it.

OK.
The simple answer is to donate to known and reputable charity organizations.

Donating to people in the street, or in shops, could be the wrong thing to do.

If the US government cut the "red tape" and allowed relief in, then things might just get easier for the people of NO.