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As Hurricane Matthew strikes, the Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission advises that, besides the harm to people and property, hurricanes can also affect your finances.

The FTC has to help you prepare for, deal with, and recover from the long-term impacts of a weather emergency, including these basics:

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• Find out if your home, health, or other insurance policy will pay for temporary shelter, replacement clothing, furniture, or other items.
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• Be alert to charity scams. Even if you live far away from the affected areas, you could be targeted by a . Urgent appeals for donations may not be on the up-and-up. Check out the charity with the , , , or .

For more tips and information, visit:

• and download the
• Community Disaster Education and download

The Â鶹´«Ã½ Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357). Like the FTC on , follow us on , read our blogs and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.