The US State Department and US Better Business Bureau (BBB) have issued warnings about scams targeting residents and donors in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Melissa caused billions for flooding, agriculture losses and commercial shutdown in the Dominican Republic. Haiti is reported 25 deaths, and wipe out in Jamaica and Cuba.
The US Better Business Bureau (BBB) alerts scammers often exploit the chaos and emotions surrounding natural disasters to steal money or personal information. It urges people to verify organizations before donating.
It says that common scams to watch for are:
Fake charities: Fraudulent websites or social media pages mimicking legitimate disaster relief organizations.
AI-generated scams: Scammers use artificial intelligence to create convincing fake images and videos to solicit donations.
Crowdfunding scams: Unverified campaigns on social media may be fraudulent. Donate only to established charities with proven disaster relief experience.
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US Department of State
30 October 2025