Now, we all hear the various PSAs and see the billboards – often paid for by government agencies – that warn us against scams and scamsters, against con-artists and all those evil folks. Whether it is utility frauds or Nigerian scam letters (emails), or people going around selling counterfeit goods, it seems to be a mission of governments at all levels to warn us against them.
Why?
Well, we need to remember: government hates competition. And two, seeks to distract us from the real pro practitioners of the art of the fraud and scams.
The government itself. And its leaders and people.
An example can be seen here, in the context of the Hurricane Helene disaster: a North Carolina website.
We here at TPOL were referred to this website by people trying to overcome the absolute mess that FEMA (and many other government agencies) have created in the aftermath of the century-record flooding in North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia. These “voluntary” organizations are an alternative to get badly-needed help to people with little or nothing left.
We call foul: Not only are many of the organizations listed not voluntary organizations, they are untrustworthy and in league with the very governments that have failed to carry out their self-proclaimed missions.
Indeed, FEMA itself is one of the organizations listed! Others are state and local government agencies: staffed by highly-paid and all-too-often incompetent government employees and not volunteers. Or associations of those very employees which are often little more than lobbying, grant-seeking, or even unions.
Many, like the Red Cross, are Woke, non-governmental organizations where massive percentages of donations go for “overhead” – feathering their own nests and lining their own pockets. This includes even religious organizations: many of which promote a social-justice or just plain social gospel and themselves are also parasites dependent on government funding. And advocate for an amazing array of Regressive policies.
What can we do to ensure that money donated to victims of a natural disaster goes to the people who need it? Or even of a government-caused disaster? Don’t depend on government sources of information, for one. Check carefully in multiple sources (on- and off-line) to verify who these people and their organization is. Don’t take it for granted if they are a 501c(3) organization or a religious organization (which have 501c(3) status even if they do not formally apply for it. And don’t trust the organization’s own website alone.
If necessary, use the old, ancient but tried and true method: find a messenger you can trust to take the money (or the supplies) to where they are needed. As is being done now in North Carolina and other areas. And know the person(s) that you are sending that stuff too. Not some denominational “service organization” or national organization – but instead a congregation or a service organization’s post or local chapter.
And remember a basic principle of charity: give goods and provide services and not money. This make sense for many reasons. The person (whether a panhandler or an organization) may try to divert money to something else. Instead of food or gasoline (for a “stranded traveler”), they may buy booze or recreational drugs. And due to demand and market supply, buying cases of bottled water or food or medicine may be far cheaper to buy at home and take to the disaster area, rather than paying disaster-inflated costs for the same things there. Especially if you explain to the store owner or manager why you are buying all that stuff – they may even give you a discount or donation to help!
About TPOL Nathan
Follower of Christ Jesus (a christian), Pahasapan (resident of the Black Hills), Westerner, Lover of Liberty, Free-Market Anarchist, Engineer, Army Officer, Husband, Father, Historian, Writer, Evangelist. Successor to Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) at TPOL.
The Price of Liberty 
Beware of fraudsters
Now, we all hear the various PSAs and see the billboards – often paid for by government agencies – that warn us against scams and scamsters, against con-artists and all those evil folks. Whether it is utility frauds or Nigerian scam letters (emails), or people going around selling counterfeit goods, it seems to be a mission of governments at all levels to warn us against them.
Why?
Well, we need to remember: government hates competition. And two, seeks to distract us from the real pro practitioners of the art of the fraud and scams.
The government itself. And its leaders and people.
An example can be seen here, in the context of the Hurricane Helene disaster: a North Carolina website.
We here at TPOL were referred to this website by people trying to overcome the absolute mess that FEMA (and many other government agencies) have created in the aftermath of the century-record flooding in North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia. These “voluntary” organizations are an alternative to get badly-needed help to people with little or nothing left.
We call foul: Not only are many of the organizations listed not voluntary organizations, they are untrustworthy and in league with the very governments that have failed to carry out their self-proclaimed missions.
Indeed, FEMA itself is one of the organizations listed! Others are state and local government agencies: staffed by highly-paid and all-too-often incompetent government employees and not volunteers. Or associations of those very employees which are often little more than lobbying, grant-seeking, or even unions.
Many, like the Red Cross, are Woke, non-governmental organizations where massive percentages of donations go for “overhead” – feathering their own nests and lining their own pockets. This includes even religious organizations: many of which promote a social-justice or just plain social gospel and themselves are also parasites dependent on government funding. And advocate for an amazing array of Regressive policies.
What can we do to ensure that money donated to victims of a natural disaster goes to the people who need it? Or even of a government-caused disaster? Don’t depend on government sources of information, for one. Check carefully in multiple sources (on- and off-line) to verify who these people and their organization is. Don’t take it for granted if they are a 501c(3) organization or a religious organization (which have 501c(3) status even if they do not formally apply for it. And don’t trust the organization’s own website alone.
If necessary, use the old, ancient but tried and true method: find a messenger you can trust to take the money (or the supplies) to where they are needed. As is being done now in North Carolina and other areas. And know the person(s) that you are sending that stuff too. Not some denominational “service organization” or national organization – but instead a congregation or a service organization’s post or local chapter.
And remember a basic principle of charity: give goods and provide services and not money. This make sense for many reasons. The person (whether a panhandler or an organization) may try to divert money to something else. Instead of food or gasoline (for a “stranded traveler”), they may buy booze or recreational drugs. And due to demand and market supply, buying cases of bottled water or food or medicine may be far cheaper to buy at home and take to the disaster area, rather than paying disaster-inflated costs for the same things there. Especially if you explain to the store owner or manager why you are buying all that stuff – they may even give you a discount or donation to help!
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About TPOL Nathan
Follower of Christ Jesus (a christian), Pahasapan (resident of the Black Hills), Westerner, Lover of Liberty, Free-Market Anarchist, Engineer, Army Officer, Husband, Father, Historian, Writer, Evangelist. Successor to Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) at TPOL.