The devastating Christchurch earthquake has brought out the best in people … and unfortunately the worst. Adding to the agony are the scammers and opportunists looking to exploit the generosity of those wanting to help and those who have already lost so much. ADRIAN EVANS asks what can be done.
Man, you’ve gotta feel for the people of Christchurch. Just getting back to their feet after September’s shake, Tuesday’s violent quake came harder than before. Reeling from the 6.3 earthquake and a rising death toll, the February 22nd earthquake is stacking up to be a dark stain on the nation’s memory.
In disasters like this television coverage comes to the fore as the rest of the nation looks on in disbelief. Images of broken buildings, smoke and debris, helicopter shots and live updates become powerful connectors for those of us far away.
It is humbling to see the selflessness of people from around the world giving their time to help the afflicted. People who leave their families, their cities and countries to put themselves at risk for the sake of others is something to be admired. I take my hat off to them. But what does that mean for those of us who want to help from a far?
According to a 2010 British survey of 153 countries http://on.msnbc.com/9V0H9h, Kiwis and Australians were first equal in giving to charity – be it money or time. We’ve seen it in recent events such as the Pike River tragedy and the 2009 Samoan tsunami.
They say tough times reveal the true character of a nation’s heart and it’s fair to say we’ve witnessed that in Christchurch. It’s clear the recovery of the Garden City relies on people giving their time, resources and prayers to get back on its feet again. On television we are seeing people doing what comes natural: to help others in need.
What saddens me though are the lowlifes in society who see it as an opportunity to kick people when their down. While people lie buried in rubble, the callous nature of others is exposed by looting, identity fraud and charity scams.
What makes these people tick?
It’s a sad low stealing from your peeps when your city lies broken.
After the September quake there were a handful of opportunist looters convicted and sentenced. Court statements said one of the looters was an opiate addict and an obvious opportunist. He got two months. Not enough.
It’s not only locals but foreigners getting on the scam too. Charity fraudsters are using Tuesday’s earthquake to take advantage of people’s kindness. Authorities say the latest scammerss, which pose as Red Cross, are more sophisticated than any they’ve seen in the past, making it hard to detect for those donating. Although the UK-based site has been shut down, they say others will follow.
Authorities urge Kiwis to be diligent when donating to a charity by searching for them on the New Zealand Charities Commission http://bit.ly/hrmo1z. They also give tips on how stay sucker free.
What about the fraudsters posing as policeman and building inspectors? Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker announced that a phone line was set up for citizens to check on officials. So now the fraudsters are wasting precious resources as well as pinching your personals. Human nature.
When something of this magnitude happens it affects everyone in the community. Like crime – it doesn’t discriminate. So, what can we do from outside of Christchurch?
We do as we’ve always done, as we always do. We give, carefully.
Although I don’t have any family in Christchurch, I have friends from there. It’s for them, it’s for there families. It’s for Christchurch. It’s for New Zealand.
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Should fraudsters be treated in a harsher fashion during such tragedies? What’s the solution? Give us your views.
