Con artists love scares, and, right now, Ebola is generating panic and fear.
Although it’s not likely that you’ll get the disease, it is probable that you’ll have contact with a person who wants to prey upon your fears.
That people are afraid of the almost always fatal African disease means opportunity to the world’s schemers. They’re already cashing in on the public’s dread.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to be wary of products with the claims they can treat or prevent the Ebola virus.
According to the FDA: “Since the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa, the FDA has seen and received consumer complaints about a variety of products claiming to either prevent the Ebola virus or treat the infection.
“In the United States, Ebola is not a water-borne or food-borne illness and is not transmitted through the air. Ebola is spread through direct contact with the body fluids of an infected person, or with objects like needles that have been contaminated with the virus. People who do not show symptoms are not contagious.”
There currently are no FDA-approved Ebola vaccines or any drugs that will prevent or treat the disease.
Zero is an easy number to recall when somebody tries to sell you an Ebola-fighting product or treatment.
Although there are experimental vaccines or treatments under development, they are in the early stages. None have been fully tested for safety or effectiveness, the FDA reported, adding that, by law, dietary supplements can not be marketed with claims they prevent or cure disease.
That doesn’t stop some people from trying, the FDA reported.
And, that’s “not necessarily unexpected,” said Rich Cleland, the Federal Trade Commission’s assistant director of advertising practices. Every time there is some kind of health scare — anthrax, for example — there’s somebody who wants to make a buck selling something to the frightened population.
Currently, people are trying to sell everything from mineral oils to snake venom to combat Ebola, he said.
The FDA and FTC have issued a joint letter, warning an East Coast company to stop marketing a solution that contains tiny silver particles as an Ebola cure.
The FDA told the company its product is not an approved drug, and, therefore, illegal. The FTC told the firm that making claims about the product that can’t be proven also is illegal.
And while there might be con artists trying to prey on fear of Ebola, there are others who are zeroing in on their victims’ charitable feelings.
According to the FTC, the epidemic that so far has killed thousands has prompted some con artists to try to bilk people who want to dig into their wallets to help.
“Urgent appeals for aid that you get by phone or mail, by email, on websites, or even in person, may not be on the up-and-up,” the FTC reported. “Unfortunately, legitimate charities face competition from fraudsters who either solicit for bogus charities or aren’t honest about how a so-called charity will use your contribution.”
The FTC suggested donating only to charities you know and trust, and be alert for charities that seem to have sprung up overnight in connection with current events.
People can research the charity with the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, Guide Star, IRS Select Check or Foundation Center.
Ask what percentage of your donation goes to the charity and what percent to the fundraiser.
And, as always, don’t give out any personal information, never click on links or open attachments in emails unless you know who sent it, and never send cash. ••
IRS has guides to donations…
The Internal Revenue Service last week released information that will guide businesses that donate money or other relief tied to the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Employees may donate their vacation, sick or personal leave in exchange for employer cash payments made to qualified tax-exempt organizations providing relief for the victims of the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone. Employees can forgo leave in exchange for employer cash payments made before Jan. 1, 2016. Under this special relief, the donated leave will not be included in the income or wages of the employees. Employers will be permitted to deduct the amount of the cash payment.
For example, if an American company has such a program and makes a cash donation of the value of an employee’s donated leave before Jan. 1, 2016, to an organization that is providing medical services and supplies for the relief of victims of the Ebola outbreak, the IRS will not consider the amount of that payment as gross income or wages of the employee. Additionally, the IRS will not assert that the U.S. company can only deduct such cash payments under Internal Revenue Code section 170.
The IRS reminds taxpayers there are some simple steps they can take to ensure that their contributions go to qualified charities, and more information is available at IRS.gov
Also, recipients of qualified relief payments are allowed to exclude those payments from income on their tax returns. Payments generally include amounts to cover necessary personal, family, living or other qualified expenses that were not covered by insurance.
For example, if an employee living in Guinea receives reimbursement from an employer-sponsored charitable organization for medical expenses incurred by the employee as a result of the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, such reimbursement will not be included in the employee’s gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Similarly, if an employee of an American company is relocated within Liberia under a quarantine order due to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, and the American company pays for the employee’s transportation, rent and living expenses related to the quarantine order, such payments will not be included in the employee’s gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
