Scam artists are looking to cash in as Hurricane Irma churns toward Florida and in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is warning those who are looking to donate money to relief causes to be aware of scammers.

Schneiderman says scammers are cashing in on people's generosity through fake emails, social media and bogus fundraising websites.

The alert comes amidst a national advisory from the Justice Department reporting an uptick in post-Harvey charity fraud.

Officials say ways to avoid being scammed involve avoiding cash donations and giving credit card information over the phone.

They also advise people to be suspicious of anyone asking for an immediate donation.

They say to be wary of spam emails offering pictures of the destruction. They say by clicking on these photos, people could be unwittingly handing over personal information to hackers.

Finally, officials say to stick to trusted organizations like the American Red Cross. They say many scammers use website names similar to legitimate charities to con people.

Anyone who feels they have been victimized is asked to call the New York state Attorney General's Office.