In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, consumer groups and members of the public have reported receiving unsolicited e-mail messages, which urge people to donate money to the Red Cross or to funds for victims of the attacks and their families

Some of these e-mails are being sent by people with a sincere desire to help, and contain accurate information. Others, however, have tried to persuade people to leave valuable personal or financial data, such as credit-card numbers, at Internet Websites that do not belong to legitimate charitable organizations. In addition, some reports indicate that telemarketers operating fraudulent "sweepstakes" or magazine-subscription schemes may be falsely promising consumers that a portion of their money will be provided to the disaster recovery efforts.

It is a federal crime for anyone to falsely or fraudulently hold himself or herself out as, or represent or pretend himself or herself to be, a member of or an agent for the American National Red Cross for the purpose of soliciting, collecting, or receiving money or material It is a federal felony for anyone to engage in mail fraud, wire fraud, or credit-card fraud. Punishment for these types of felonies can range as high as 15 years imprisonment, or as high as 25 years imprisonment where the fraud is in connection with the conduct of telemarketing.

We all should act cautiously before sending money or giving our credit-card information or personal data, such as passwords or Social Security numbers, over the telephone or the Internet to people soliciting them for donations for disaster relief. Legitimate charitable causes, such as those listed below, do not need to telephone or e-mail you to solicit donations for the victims, or to obtain your passwords or Social Security numbers to accept your donations. If you have any concerns about sending money to a particular organization, do not hesitate to call that organization directly and ask for more information, and consult the state attorney general for your state.

To report possible fraudulent schemes relating to victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks, please e-mail your information immediately to the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/sentinel. The FTC works closely with the Department of Justice and other federal and state law enforcement agencies on consumer fraud issues, and will make your reports available to law enforcement.

Donations to Red Cross: The American Red Cross’s Website is www.redcross.org.

Donations for Firefighters, Police, and Rescue Workers: The New York City Fire Department is referring individuals who want to make contributions to New York Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund, c/o International Association of Fire Fighters, 1750 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20006 (202-737-8484), and to the Widows' and Children's Fund, c/o Uniformed Firefighters Association, 204 East 23rd Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10010 (212-683-4832).