Beware of fraudulent fundraisers for mass shooting victims

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- It's already a difficult time for close family and friends who lost loved ones during a mass shooting in Colorado Springs Sunday, but now scammers are making it an even more turbulent time.

"It is already a hard time for the entire family and the add-on of the scammers that are trying to benefit from such a tragedy is just tremendous and it is infuriating. I just want to make sure that everybody that wants to donate and help the family, that they can make sure that their money is going to the right place," said Alisha Morales, a close friend of Mayra Perez, one of the victims of the shooting.

There have been a few scams around the internet, but one of them using Alisha's profile picture and the pictures of the six victims, mimicking her Facebook donation page, has already raised more than $4,000. Morales wants to put a stop to this.

Currently there are only two legitimate places to donate that have been put up by loved ones:

• A GoFundMe designed to assist with the care of the children left without parents and other family expenses.
• A Facebook fundraiser to help with other expenses

In a Facebook post, Morales asked anyone with questions to reach out to her via Facebook Messenger to clarify before donating.

Additionally, the Colorado Healing Fund was activated and is accepting donations in response to the shooting. This is the same foundation that began accepting donations following the Boulder King Soopers shooting.

Through the Colorado Healing Fund, people can donate through the following:

• Online through the Colorado Healing Fund website
• Through Colorado Gives and direct the donation to the Colorado Springs Canterbury Community Shooting
• Checks and in-person donations will be accepted at Colorado-based FirstBank (1STBank) locations. Donors should make checks out to "Colorado Healing Fund" and write CO Springs in the memo. When depositing the check with bank tellers, please designate donations for the Colorado Healing Fund's "victim account."

Other places that are accepting cash or check monetary donations include

• The restaurant Black-eyed Pea
• Metal Mart
• Alfonso's Mexican Food