NORTHWEST FLOODING- How to Help Without Getting Scammed

With the flooding going on in parts of the Pacific Northwest, you may feel motivated to donate to a charity to give support to those in need of help.

Local charities probably benefit the best with a monetary donation. Here are ways you can help flood victims in Whatcom, Skagit, and Snohomish counties from The Seattle Times- https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/how-to-help-those-affected-by-wa-floods/.

If you hear about a charity to donate to first check them out with the Washington Secretary of State (SOS). SOS maintains a list of charities registered with it that you can search at: https://www.sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/nonprofits-charities/charities/information-donors.

You can also look for reputable charities at,

·         Better Business Bureau, Give.org- https://give.org/

·         Charity Navigator- https://www.charitynavigator.org/

·         Charity Watch- https://www.charitywatch.org/

·         Candid- https://candid.org/

 

If you hear about a charity that you think you might want to donate to you can also do a web search with the charity’s name and the words “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.”

Scammers may pretend to be a charity to collect/take your money and/or collect your personal information. Be wary of unsolicited phone calls or text messages asking for a donation. Two red flags to watch for include,

·         Pressure to give immediately. A legitimate charity will welcome your donation whenever you choose to make it.

·         A request for payment by cash, gift card or wire transfer. These are scammers’ favored payment methods because the money is easy to access and difficult to trace.

If you see an ad, receive a phone call, email, or text message soliciting donations resist the urge to give right away. Take a breath and do a little research before giving.

 

AARP:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/charity/

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2024/11/give-charity-not-scam

 

National Cybersecurity Alliance:

https://www.staysafeonline.org/articles/how-to-avoid-charity-scams

CHARITY SCAMS- Giving Without Getting Scammed

With the disruption of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) due to the federal government shutdown, more and more people are considering donating to local food banks to help them handle the increase in business. The key is to donate to organizations you know and trust.

Many people donate food to their local food banks. Local churches, sometimes schools, and independent volunteer organizations have organized to give out food to those in need. Here is a list of local food banks collected by The Seattle Times- https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/where-to-get-food-in-king-snohomish-pierce-counties-as-snap-lapses/.

You may want to make a monetary donation. You need to take care to donate to organizations that will truly give food to those in need and not pocket the money for their own ends. If you do not know of a local food bank that you know and trust, do a little research to find a food bank or charity that has a good reputation. One place to look is the Washington Secretary of State (SOS). SOS maintains a list of charities registered with it that you can search at: https://www.sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/nonprofits-charities/charities/information-donors.

You can also look for reputable charities at,

·         Better Business Bureau, Give.org- https://give.org/

·         Charity Navigator- https://www.charitynavigator.org/

·         Charity Watch- https://www.charitywatch.org/

·         Candid- https://candid.org/

 

If you hear about a charity that you think you might want to donate to you can also do a web search with the charity’s name and the words “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.”

Scammers may pretend to be a charity to collect/take your money and/or collect your personal information. Be wary of unsolicited phone calls or text messages asking for a donation. Two red flags to watch for include,

·         Pressure to give immediately. A legitimate charity will welcome your donation whenever you choose to make it.

·         A request for payment by cash, gift card or wire transfer. These are scammers’ favored payment methods because the money is easy to access and difficult to trace.

If you see an ad, receive a phone call, email, or text message soliciting donations resist the urge to give right away. Take a breath and do a little research before giving.

 

AARP:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/charity/

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2024/11/give-charity-not-scam

 

National Cybersecurity Alliance:

https://www.staysafeonline.org/articles/how-to-avoid-charity-scams

DISASTER SCAMS- Helping Victims of the L.A. Wildfires

It’s all over the news. The wildfires in Los Angeles have been closely covered over the last few days by national and local news outlets. From the horrific photos of the damage done by the fires and the heart wrenching stories of families losing their homes of many years if not decades, it makes sense that we might be motivated to want to help, often with a financial contribution.

Unfortunately, disasters are natural events for scammers to try to steal your money in the guise of helping victims of wildfires, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, etc. The scammers know the there are people who are ripe to scam. People who are motivated to do good but may not know how to give or who may be too busy Scammers prey on our empathy and our emotions to get us to give them money while they pretend to be from a charity that will help the wildfire victims.

The most important thing to do before you give money is to research the charity that you are considering.

News media have made recommendations of organizations that can help victims of the wildfires. Here are recommendations from three organizations,

KIRO TV:

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/how-help-those-impacted-by-californias-wildfires/MDPQPYA3UJEDXD6X5DBBKRGQDU/

 

Associated Press:

https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-palisades-eaton-los-angeles-21ca02ac9b897fd1eddef8c5e8dd3c25

 

ABC:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/california-fires-victims/story?id=117470695&utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=flipboard%2Fmagazine%2F10+For+Today

 

While these news organizations have vetted the organizations you might want to check out an organization on your own. One thing to check is if the charity is registered in the State of Washington. All charities and commercial fund raisers who solicit donations in the State of Washington must follow the Washington Charitable Solicitations Act, RCW 19.09. You can see if a specific charity is registered with the Washington Secretary of State at this link- https://www.sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/nonprofits-charities/charities/information-donors/givesmart.

You can also research a charity’s trustworthiness and effectiveness on the Better Business Bureau’s Give.org website at-  https://give.org/.

A charity may advertise that it is a tax-exempt organization, and your donation is tax exempt. You can check to see if a charity is truly tax-exempt at this IRS web site- https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search.

 

You can also do a web search for the charity. Do a search with the name of the charity plus words like “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.” If you find their website, review it carefully. Look for specifics about its programs, how it spends its money, the oversight of the organization, and a listing of the organization’s officers.

 

Remember

 

·         If someone calls for a charity and they pressure you to give right away, hang up.

·         Be skeptical if the charity thanks you for a donation that you do not remember making.

·         Be wary if the charity wants the donation in cash, money order, gift cards or cryptocurrency. Make your donation with your credit card.

·         If a caller cannot explain specifically what your donation will be used for or what percentage of donations is used for operations versus administration, hang up.

 

For more tips on charitable giving, check out the following sources,

 

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/donating-safely-and-avoiding-scams

 

Washington State Secretary of State:

https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/givesmart-ago-sos-handout-final-093015.pdf

 

AARP:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2019/charity.html?intcmp=AE-FWN-LIB1-POS7

 

SCAM UPDATE- Jury Duty Scam and Watch Out for Charity Scammers

JURY DUTY SCAM- In what seems to be a yearly ritual, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warning about a scammer calling county residents and attempting to “bully” them into having “…a warrant ‘lifted’ or saying they missed jury duty.”

In its Facebook posting, the Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone that “No law enforcement, government or court personnel will ever call you to demand money over the phone or attempt to meet up with you to receive payment.” It encourages you to hang up if you receive a call demanding money like this.

 

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=685298976956870&set=a.226070289546410

 

CHARITY SCAMS-

With the disasters in the news such as the fires on Maui, tornados in the Midwest and Southeast, and wildfires in the west, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning the public to watch out for scammers posing as charitable organizations. Scammers follow the news and solicit donations claiming to use the money for disaster relief. Before giving money to any charity, do a little research first. The FTC recommends,

·         Donate to charities that you know and trust.

·         Research the organization yourself. Do some research especially if you do not know the organization or you found it on social media. Do a web search with the charity’s name and the words “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.” Also, check out the charity with one of the following organizations,

o   Better Business Bureau, Give.org- https://give.org/

o   Charity Navigator- https://www.charitynavigator.org/

o   Charity Watch- https://www.charitywatch.org/

o   Candid- https://candid.org/

·         Be cautious about giving to individuals on crowdfunding sites.

·         Do not donate to anyone who insists on being paid only by cash, gift card, money wire, or cryptocurrency.

·         If you are going to text to donate, be sure to confirm the number.

 

 

 Federal Trade Commission:

https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/08/how-make-sure-your-donations-count-when-weather-disasters-strike

 

https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/how-donate-wisely-and-avoid-charity-scams

 

 

Washington State Secretary of State:

https://www.sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities

 

https://www.sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/nonprofits-charities/charities/information-donors/givesmart

 

 

 

GIVING TO UKRAINE – Watch for Scams

We all have seen the horrifying pictures of the war in Ukraine and heard the stories of refugees, victims of the bombing, and the efforts of the Ukrainian military. The situation in Ukraine may motivate you to give to a charity that can help Ukrainians during this war.

Situations like those in Ukraine give scammers an opportunity to take advantage of our good hearts. Scammers often take advantage of disasters such as hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, wildfires, etc. to skim off potential charitable contributions for their own pockets. And you can  bet that scammers are taking advantage of the situation in Ukraine.

The Washington State Secretary of State recently encouraged all Washington citizens to be diligent and to research any potential charitable contributions for Ukraine.

The Secretary of State’s Office offers the following tips to protect your contribution:

·         Check the charity’s registration status. You can check to see of a charity is registered with the Secretary of State and is in good standing at this link- https://ccfs.sos.wa.gov/#/

·         Does the charity have experience and does its mission match the need in Ukraine? Be sure that the charity has the experience, staff, and contacts to be helpful in Ukraine. You can look up the track record of charities on websites of watchdog organizations such as Charity Watch- https://www.charitywatch.org/, Charity Navigator- https://www.charitynavigator.org/, or the Better Business Bureau at https://give.org/news/wise-giving-wednesday-tips-on-donations-to-assist-ukraine-relief-efforts.

·         Be cautious of online fundraising. Avoid giving to charities or individuals online that you do not know. For more information on the ins and outs of online giving check out the Secretary of State’s Guide of Online Giving- https://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/charities/givesmart%20online%20giving%20guide.pdf.

·         Do not share personal financial information over the phone. This includes your credit/debit card or bank account information. If you receive a call from someone soliciting for a charity, do not feel pressured to give money or your personal information. Legitimate charities will not pressure you to make an immediate donation.

For more information on protecting yourself from charity scams check out the following links,

 

Washington State Secretary of State:

https://www.sos.wa.gov/charities/givesmart.aspx

 

AARP:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2022/tips-for-donating-to-ukraine.html

 

Better Business Bureau:

https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26575-donating-to-help-ukraine-relief-activities

 

KIRO-TV:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/as-russian-invasion-expands-so-do-seattle-based-efforts-to-help-ukrainians/ar-AAV3CNX?ocid=msedgntp

 

 

CHARITY SCAMS – Donate Your Money with Care

The holidays are a prime time of year for giving to a charity. And with COVID-19 there are many deserving charities that will use your money wisely. However, scammers try to take advantage of your good will by posing as legitimate charities to steal your money and your identification.

Scammers use several tricks to separate you from your money.

·         They may pressure you to decide quickly to donate.

·         They may thank you for a donation that you did not make.

·         They can spoof the Caller ID of a legitimate charity or a phone number from a local area code.

·         Some use names that are similar to legitimate charities.

·         They may make vague, sentimental claims with no specifics on how your donation would be used.

·         They may claim that a donation is tax-deductible when it is not.

·         Sometimes, they may guarantee sweepstakes winnings in exchange for a donation. This offer is a scam and is illegal.

You can take the following steps to avoid being victimized by a charity scammer,

·       Make an annual charity plan. Take some time to think about what charities you would like to give to. Do some research on those charities. Make a budget of how much you want to spend toward donations and how much you will give to each of your charities.

·       Before donating, check out the charity. There are several web sites that can give you information about legitimate charities:

o   The Office of the Washington State Secretary of State- https://www.sos.wa.gov/charities/donors.aspx

o   Charity Navigator- https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1004

o   Charity Watch- https://www.charitywatch.org/

o   GuideStar- https://www2.guidestar.org/

o   Give.org- https://give.org/

·       Be wary of unsolicited donation requests. Assume any email or phone solicitations are scams. Do not click on any links in emails. If you do receive a request from an unknown charity that you think you might be interested in, conduct a separate search in your browser with the name of the charity plus the word “scam” and at the above websites.

·       Do not trust Caller ID or URL’s in web searches. Scammers can spoof phone numbers of legitimate charities. Scammers also play games with web addresses with subtle changes to them to make them look like a real charity’s web address.

 

For more information on how to protect yourself from a charity scam check out the following resources,

 

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/how-donate-wisely-and-avoid-charity-scams

 

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0074-giving-charity

 

 

USA.gov:

https://www.usa.gov/donate-to-charity#item-211606

 

 

AARP:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-06-2013/avoiding-charity-scams-during-disasters.html?cmp=SNO-ADV-FB-AO-FWN&socialid=611207403

 

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2019/charity.html

 

The Herald:

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/where-to-give-and-where-to-find-help-directory-of-services/

HURRICANE HARVEY- Watch Out for Scammers

If you have been following the disaster in eastern Texas as a result of Hurricane (now Tropical Storm) Harvey you may be motivated to give money for the victims. As unusual, scammers are trying to take advantage of people’s good will to take their money.

The Better Business Bureau has compiled a list of legitimate organizations who are helping in the Hurricane Harvey relief. Before giving to any organization, look at this information:

Better Business Bureau:

https://www.bbb.org/council/news-events/news-releases/2017/08/bbb-and-give.org-offer-tips-on-helping-texas-in-the-aftermath-of-hurricane-harvey/

Here is some general guidance about giving to a charity,

Federal Trade Commission:

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0074-giving-charity