Superstorm Sandy: How you can help

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - As the effects of superstorm Sandy continue to be felt across the east coast, the Red Cross and The Salvation Army are sending volunteers and materials in to help the victims.

From cleanup kits to emergency shelter to food, the organizations offer much-needed help after the devastating disaster.

Hoosiers can also contribute to the efforts, and the best way to do so right after a disaster is with monetary gifts directly to the organizations.

To donate to the Red Cross:

• Online: www.redcross.org
• Phone: 1-800-RED-CROSS (733-2767)
• Text: Text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation

To donate to The Salvation Army:

• Online: www.salvationarmyindiana.org
• Phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769)
• Text: Text STORM to 80888 to make a $10 donation

The Red Cross has more than 100 shelters set up along the East Coast. Four local Red Cross volunteers traveled from Indianapolis to White Plains, a suburb of New York City. Up to 170 more volunteers are available to follow; all are on standby as the damage is assessed.

The Salvation Army sent 1,000 volunteers from around the country; those volunteers are now waiting on emergency management to direct them to where they can best help.

The groups will provide food, shelter, games for kids and mental health support to the millions affected.

Beware of scams

Purdue's Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security urges people to be wary of solicitations for funds in the wake of tragedy.

"We've seen it time and again, and con artists and scammers are continually coming up with advanced methods to take people's money through contributions - often online," says Eugene H. Spafford, professor and executive director of CERIAS.

Some of these fraudulent appeals will sound convincing, and the associated websites will appear official and legitimate, CERIAS said. Here are some tips to help you avoid such scams:

• Don't enter information at a website that pops up unexpectedly when you visit some other site.
• Never click on a website address in an email sent to you, even if it looks official. Most will be pointers to fraud or attack sites.
• Don't assume that every web address returned by a search engine is a legitimate organization.
• Don't respond to emails requesting donations or making a special offer (such as asking you to hold their assets).
• Don't reveal any personal or financial information during a phone call you did not dial yourself.
• If a friend forwards a URL, phone number or email, don't trust it until you check its validity. Your friend may have been scammed first.