Watchdogs warn of Haiti relief scams

Relief scams may range from "phishing" emails that direct potential donors to phony relief websites, to con artists who target grief-stricken friends and family in the Haitian community with offers to help locate or financially assist possible victims. Some fraudsters may even claim to be victims themselves, asking for direct financial assistance.

"Beware of people sending emails or spams claiming to be individuals who need help," said Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy in Chicago. "It's very easy to throw up a website that appears to be a legitimate charity even if it's not."

The FBI also warned Wednesday that identity thieves may try to play on donors' emotions to provide personal or financial information they wouldn't normally give out. Identity thieves use the information to impersonate the giver and then open fraudulent financial accounts or commit other crimes.

Relief-related scams cropped up soon after other natural disasters, such as the Asian tsunami in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

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