We have all heard about and probably have seen the video of the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. You may be motivated to donate to the restoration of this historic structure. However, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns that we all need to be wary of who we donate to in the name of charity.
Scammers frequently take advantage of well publicized disasters by pretending to be non-profit organizations trying to help victims of these disasters. Often the scammers will call you asking for a donation.
The FTC offers some tips to protect yourself from being scammed out of your donation money:
1.
Research the organization before giving any money.
2.
Ask questions about how the money will be spent.
3.
Be aware that crowdfunding sites may not monitor how
donations are spent.
4.
Understand that donations to foreign organizations
generally are not tax deductible.
For more details, go to,
Federal Trade Commission:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/04/scammers-and-your-notre-dame-donations
Also, the Washington State Secretary of State’s web site is a great resource on tips for protecting yourself from charity fraud. You can also search for charities who have registered in the State of Washington.
Washington State Secretary of State:
https://www.sos.wa.gov/charities/
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