We are watching television coverage of the worst humanitarian disaster we have ever seen.  We're sure that you, too, have watched with horror at the images emanating from Haiti.

Is it any worse than the tsunami, which hit Phuket a few years ago? We won't hazard a guess. But this, somehow, strikes us as a bigger catastrophe. Maybe it's due to Haiti's proximity to the U.S. Or maybe it's due to the ultra-extreme poverty of the country.

In any case, we all seem to feel the need to do something.

And it is at this precise moment that the criminally inclined crawl out from under the dung heap to capitalize on the kindhearted. Looking to line their pockets with your charitable dollars, their criminal activities always seem to bear fruit.

So it is for this reason we are passing along to you a fraud alert from the FBI about a new wave of scams that have popped up overnight to capiltalize on the tragedy in Haiti.

Here is a list of Do's and Don't's:

1. Ignore all unsolicited emails (spam) and don't click on any links contained therein.
2. Be wary of emails that claim to have photos of the disaster attached. Clicking on the link may open you up to a computer virus.
3. Make contributions to known charitable organizations not to individuals who claim they will make a donation on your behalf.
4. Verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by using the internet to verify the group's existence and nonprofit status.
5. Beware specific requests for money from people purporting to be victims themselves or Haitian government officials you may "encounter" on social networking sites.
6. Do NOT, under any circumstances, give personal or financial information to anyone while making a donation. You could open yourself up to identity theft.

If you want to give, The Salvation Army, The Red Cross, Catholic Relief Services, Doctors Without Borders and a host of other well-known groups, we believe, are the best way to be sure your money is used properly.

Sad to say, you need to protect yourself even when disasters like this occur and tug at your heartstrings. Having a heart is always a wonderful thing. But be sure your head is also involved in the transaction.

Protect yourself day in and day out with our 10 Tips to Protect Yourself from Scams.

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