After every major disaster, such as the Japanese Tsunami, the Chilean earthquake, Katrina, etc, several scammers set up funds for worldwide donations, claiming to be charitable organizations.
Using similar names to the real ones (Red Cross, United Way), the crooks create viral campaigns on the social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, using all kinds of tricks – fake ads, hot-lines, online donation opportunities, etc.
How to avoid: after a major world catastrophe it is often possible to donate to a central fund through your bank. Otherwise, do not donate anything until you are sure the company is legitimate. Look online in the search engines by typing the name of the organization followed by the word “scam” or “fraud”.