Zach Behrens at LAist picks up on the warnings already coming out of Jerry Brown's office. Cyclical disasters breed cyclical scams. Behren's notes the state attorney general has set up a pair of Web sites to deal with fraudsters — one for Giving Wisely and another for Complaints about bogus charities. Among the AG's tips:

  • Listen closely to the name of the group and beware of “copycat” names that sound like reputable charities.

  • Don't give through email solicitations. Clicking on an email may lead you to a site that looks real but is established by identity thieves seeking to obtain money or personal information.

  • Do not give cash.

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