OLYMPIA — The Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection Division is warning Washingtonians to be on the lookout for scammers targeting donations aiding those affected by the wildfires in California. Attorney General Nick Brown asks Washingtonians to report any suspicious solicitations to his office.
“The catastrophic damage from these fires makes us want to support relief and recovery efforts,” Brown said. “I urge potential donors to give with caution and look out for potential scams or fraudulent solicitations. If you see charity solicitations that look suspicious, please file a complaint with my office.”
Anyone who believes they have detected or been the victim of a charity scam can submit a complaint to the Attorney General’s Office using this online complaint form. If the charity is located in California, donors can also submit a complaint form, located here.
The Attorney General’s Office reminds donors that they can help protect themselves from scams by slowing down and researching any charities they want to support. For instance, donors should pause and consider whether an advertised charity has an actual history of providing the type of work needed in response to a disaster.
You can take additional steps to protect yourself from scams by doing the following:
- Research the charity before giving. Ensure the charity is registered with the Washington Secretary of State at www.sos.wa.gov/charities. If the charity is registered, you can review a summary of its financial records and tax status. You can also check the charity’s rating on Charity Navigator at www.charitynavigator.org, Guidestar’s Nonprofit Directory at www.guidestar.org or use the IRS’s Tax Exempt Organization Search tool, located here, to verify the entity’s status.
- Don’t give in to high-pressure tactics. If is someone is demanding immediate payment or sensitive personal information, it’s likely a scam.
- Verify a Charity’s Tax Status: You should remember that giving to a specific individual or a family’s crowdfunding efforts presents more risk than giving to an established charity. Additionally, a donation to an individual or family is not a tax-deductible gift, in most circumstances. If you are unsure about the charity’s designation, use the IRS’s Tax Exempt Organization Search tool to verify the entity’s status.
- Report Unwanted Robocalls and Robotexts: Generally, unsolicited robocalls and robotexts are illegal. Recipients of those calls and texts can report them using the Attorney General’s Telephone Scam Reporting Form, located here.
Watch Out for Imposters: Fraudulent organizations may use names that closely resemble those of well-established charitable organizations to mislead donors. Look out for fraudulent websites that have a slightly different web address than that of a legitimate charitable organization. Similar-looking web and email addresses are sometimes used by scammers to lure in donors.
Source: Attorney General’s Office of Washington State
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
