Heartbroken citizens from around the world raised nearly one billion dollars in 2 days after fire severely damaged the historic cathedral. And while any disaster evokes an emotional response, consumer experts warn it also draws out con artists.
"Scammers follow the news just like we do and they will jump on it and they know people are going to be willing to give money in these certain situations," said Kelsey Coleman of the Better Business Bureau.
Notre Dame cathedral fire: Before and after photos of fire damage
The Better Business Bureau says "wait to donate" to make sure your money is getting into the right hands.
"This rebuild is going to take years and it's going to take time to build those funds. And we know that scammers they want to make that quick buck so they are going to grab it while it's in the news now," Coleman explained.
The BBB also says if you want to make sure your donation is going to be tax-deductible, it's best to give to a charity based in the US rather than a foreign body, an individual, or a crowd funding site.
The French government plans to create two funds for the rebuilding of Notre Dame, one for French donations and another for international gifts.
The French Ministry of Culture has identified four organizations currently collecting Notre Dame funds those are:
la Fondation du Patrimoine
la Fondation de France
la Fondation Notre-Dame
le Centre des monuments nationaux
Other Resources:
BBB Scam Tracker
Avoiding Scams
Trustworthy Charities
Charity Navigator
GuideStar