Combating Texas Flood Scams: How to Protect Yourself During Times of Crisis From Cybercriminals by National Cybersecurity Alliance

In the wake of the catastrophic flooding in Texas where rescue teams continue to search for the missing, cybercriminals are seizing the chaos to launch disaster-related scams targeting vulnerable residents and generous donors.

Fake FEMA websites, fraudulent GoFundMe pages for missing campers, phishing emails disguised as aid efforts and malicious links in weather update texts are already beginning to circulate. Lisa Plaggemier, Executive Director at the National Cybersecurity Alliance, shares how these scams work, why they proliferate during disasters and practical steps individuals and businesses can take to protect themselves from cybercriminals during times of crisis.

Q. What sorts of disaster relief scams are typical in recent years? Which ones are you aware of? Can you share some examples/how they work?

“Disaster relief scams have become increasingly sophisticated, often launching within hours of a crisis," says Lisa Plaggemier, Executive Director at the National Cybersecurity Alliance. "We’ve seen everything from fake FEMA websites and phony GoFundMe campaigns to scammers posing as Red Cross workers or contractors offering 'urgent' home repairs. After Hurricanes Helene and Milton, scammers flooded social media with misleading donation pages and used phishing texts to steal personal information. In 2017, after Hurricane Harvey, attackers launched email campaigns impersonating relief agencies to trick victims into sharing sensitive data or making fraudulent payments. These scams prey on fear, urgency and goodwill making both victims and donors easy targets.”

Q. Would you say disaster relief scams are common today? Do you think they've gotten more or less common in recent years?

“Yes, disaster-related scams are not only common but they’ve also become more frequent and more convincing. As we’ve seen after storms like Helene, Harvey and Irma, cybercriminals waste no time deploying misinformation and impersonation tactics across email, social media and crowdfunding sites. The rise of AI-generated content and spoofed caller IDs has made it even harder to distinguish real aid efforts from fake ones. Scammers now target both affected communities and those looking to donate, exploiting every angle of a disaster. Unfortunately, the trend is accelerating, not slowing.”

Q. What are the telltale signs of a disaster relief scam? What do you recommend people look out for?

“The biggest red flags include unsolicited messages demanding urgent donations, requests for gift cards or wire transfers, and websites or emails that look 'almost' right but have small differences like misspelled URLs or poor grammar. After Hurricane Helene, for example, scammers set up deceptive websites and posed as federal officials, despite FEMA and the SBA never charging application fees or asking for banking info by phone. Always double-check any communication claiming to be from a relief organization. Go directly to official websites like FEMA.gov or use platforms like CharityNavigator.org to vet charities. If someone claims to be a government agent, ask for ID and never give out personal details unless you've confirmed their legitimacy. When in doubt, pause and verify as scammers rely on urgency to cloud judgment.”

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