Is Texting ‘HAITI’ to 90999 a Scam?
Posted on January 11th, 2010
In the wake of the traumatic 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti Tuesday evening, an outpouring of support has been heard across cyberspace. And thanks to developments in technology, donating to important and topical causes is easier than ever. But could a text of support really find you victimized by a scam?
Right now, there are two legitimate ways to donate to Haitian support and relief organizations:
- Text ‘HAITI’ to 90999: This service was set up by the U.S. State Department. Texting “HAITI” to the number will donate $10 to the American Red Cross, and will appear as a charge on your wireless bill. Text ‘YELE’ to 501501: This will donate $5 to Yele Haiti, a non-profit organization founded by singer and Haiti native Wyclef Jean. A donation to Yele will also appear as a charge on your cell bill. You can also donate larger amounts at Yele’s website.
So far, these are the only two legitimate text-to-donate services providing support to Haiti relief, according to consumer watchdog groups. But others may be popping up to take advantage of Americans’ generosity.
The Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission have issued statements warning possible donors to watch out for scams, which tend to pop up after a catastrophe.
The five-to-six digit numbers known as short-codes make it difficult to tell who is on the receiving end of a text. A legitimate charity will not ask you to send your personal information or credit card number through text message.
The devastating earthquake that struck Haiti, the western hemisphere’s most impoverished nation, Tuesday hit 10 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital and largest city. Haiti’s prime minister has issued a statement that hundreds of thousands may have perished in the quake.
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