Scammers pounce after cop, civilians shot. This is where we are now (Opinion)

The horror of this month's news in Jersey City was bad enough.

Mindy Ferencz, 31, Douglas Miguel Rodriguez, 49 and Moshe Deutsch, 24 died inside the JC Kosher Supermarket when two shooters got out of a van and opened fire with rifles on the store on Martin Luther King Drive earlier this month.  Jersey City police detective Joseph Seals was gunned down in a cemetery by the same shooters shortly before, authorities say.

There's so much we still don't know. But what's unmistakable: The sheer tragedy is overwhelming.

And yet, scammers had to make it worse.

"One of the things that jumped out at me ... how sick can we as a society get, that just hours after a horrendous murder and killings, the mayor, among the top priorities ... was warning people against falling for scams on GoFundMe," Jim Gearhart says this week's episode of his weekly Facebook Live show and podcast. "Apparently this is the expectation now, that there will be all kinds of scams raising money for victims."

Americans are generous people, Jim says. They want to help however they can. But news of the scams, he fears, could dissuade people from giving to those really in need.

There are, however, charity efforts New Jersey 101.5 has confirmed to be legitimate:

• The NJ State Policemen's Benevolent Association is directing donors to an official page created by the Jersey City POBA.
• Frank Stiller of the Tunnels to Tower Foundation told CBS New York the charity founded to remember fallen 9/11 first-responders will pay off the mortgage of Seals' North Arlington home. Siller told CBS New York an announcement will be made Friday morning.
• The Jewish school Mosodos Greenville teamed up with the Jewish Center-Chabad of Hoboken and Jersey City to create the Jersey City Victims Emergency Fund to held the families of  Leah Minda Ferencz and Moshe Hersh Deutch, who died when shots were fired at the JC Kosher supermarket. The intended goal is to also help rebuild the supermarket.
• The niece of Douglas Rodriguez created a GoFundMe page to help with his family's funeral expenses. Scripture verified the account. He was an employee of the store.

The Jim Gearhart show is LIVE on Facebook every Thursday at 10:30 a.m., at Facebook.com/NJ1015. Got an idea for an upcoming installment of Jim's show? Meet Jim at Facebook.com/NJ1015 to suggest it in the comments, or email Jim@nj1015.com.

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The Jim Gearhart Show podcast is available every week on New Jersey 101.5 and in the New Jersey 101.5 app. You can also subscribe with your favorite podcasting app for iPhones, Android devices or your computer:

That's just part of what Jim and Bob Williams take on in the latest installment of his show, also available as a podcast. Check out the full episode to hear the rest.

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— New Jersey 101.5 staff. Includes prior reporting by Dan Alexander

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