Natural disasters and ID theft
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"We are taking a looser approach to credit card fraud monitoring because these people do not show the normal spending patterns as would the normal consumer," says Ted Crooks, vice president of global fraud solutions for Fair Isaac Corp.

Many credit cards issuers have given special consideration to Hurricane Katrina victims by allowing some flexibility on credit card payments, credit limits and, most important, no-charge access to replacement cards that might have been destroyed or stolen.

Crooks says that banks understand that they will have fraud losses during times like this, and consumers need to remember that the banking systems are still in place and are working fine.

"If they are the victims of credit-card theft, they are not going to be out of the money, the banks will be. It might be an annoyance, but in general, the banks are the one's responsible for the charges placed on your credit card."

Fortunately for most Katrina victims, ID theft will be easier to spot because thieves have buying patterns that don't go along with starting up a new household.

Along with victim concerns come the fraud concerns of those who donate to charities and relief Web sites.

Sheryl Christenson, CEO of Identitytheft911.com, says, "Natural disasters bring out the best in people, as we have observed recently. Unfortunately, there is an element of the population that views such events as an opportunity, and in a few, we see the worst."

Christenson warns consumers to only donate to recognized relief Web sites.

"It will be open season for phishing scams and clever e-mails from fake banks, fake Web sites that ask for your personal information in order to rip you off," says Crooks. He cautions people to be careful in giving out personal information such as credit and debit card numbers, banking accounts, Social Security numbers and other personal forms of identification.

According to the Better Business Bureau, caution needs to be taken when donating to the various relief organizations, especially if they contact you, because most major relief organizations do not send out mass e-mails asking for help. You must seek them out by either calling them or directly visiting their Web sites. You can get a list of legitimate relief Web sites to donate to by visiting http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov/.

Crooks warns of various other scams that will resurface. To avoid falling prey to these scams, practice the following tips.

1. Never give out personal information on the phone, in person or via the Internet unless you have contacted that organization or checked the credentials of the individual. Most charity organizations, banks and credit issuers will not seek out individuals. Instead, they wait for donations or for customers to contact them.
2. If you would like to donate to a charity or relief organization via the Internet, make sure to type in the complete address into the browser yourself and make sure the Web site is secure. Look for "https" at the beginning of the URL on that page, which indicates it is encrypted for security.
3. Beware of fraudsters requesting "relief" packages. Scammers will give you bogus addresses. If you would like to offer relief goods, ask for a reputable carrier to deliver goods, and send packages to legitimate addresses.
4. There will be variations on the classic "Nigerian bank scam" where promises of a big cut of money await you if you can just provide the person with your bank information. Do not let anyone use your address, bank account or name, unless it's a trusted friend in need of assistance.
5. If you do give to an organization, donate by credit card rather than by debit card. Credit cards offer the best consumer protection in the event of fraud.

"At time of stress people will knowingly let down their guard down, and people will take advantage of that. Keep your wits about you, and if someone says they are from New Orleans and in need of help, it wouldn't hurt to quiz them on the city," says Crooks.