OSO/DARRINGTON– Reminder to be Careful Who You Contribute To

Recently, the Washington State Attorney General’s Office sent out a warning about the potential for scammers to take money in the name the Oso mudslide relief (http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2014/03/oso-darrington-watch-out-for-disaster.html)

Yesterday, a unit of the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management (Twitter address: @SR530Slide) tweeted that they were hearing about “fraudulent requests for ‘donations’ from businesses and individuals.” While no specifics were provided, it does emphasize the potential for contributions to be siphoned away from their intended use. Scammers will use disasters that have made the news, like the mudslide at Oso, to take money from those of us who wish to help people who need help.

For a listing of legitimate charities that are taking contributions for the Oso mudslide go to The Herald at http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20140325/NEWS01/140329375. The Herald has been updating this listing from time to time.

The Attorney General’s press release provided good advice on how to stay away from the scammers. If you encounter a scammer, report it to the FTC at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-1 and select “Other” on the right. Or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

FTC Press Release:

http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/04/ftc-warns-consumers-beware-washington-mudslide-charity-scams

More information from the FTC on how to avoid charity scams:

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0011-charity-scams