Full Notification

In the wake of Friday's massive earthquake in Japan and the subsequent tsunami, the federal Internet Crime Complaint Center is warning people to be prudent when donating to relief funds.

Natural disasters often motivate people to help victims by donating money, the center said on its website, but those same disasters also motivate criminals to find ways to bilk would-be donors, especially over the Internet.

Before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to the following guidelines:

* Do not respond to unsolicited e-mail.
* Be skeptical of people soliciting via e-mail for donations.
* Do not click on links in unsolicited e-mail.
* Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files. The files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
* To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make them directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make a donation for you.
* Make sure an organization is legitimate by directly accessing the recognized charity's or aid organization's website rather than following a link provided in an e-mail.
* Try to verify the nonprofit status of an organization by using Internet-based resources, which also may assist in confirming its existence.
* Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions. Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.