The Indiana
Attorney General’s Office is urging Hoosiers to be cautious when donating to
charity in the wake of the terrorist massacre in Orlando, Fla.
“People across the
country and globe are responding to the tragic attack in Orlando by opening
up their hearts and wallets to donate to nonprofits, hospitals and other
groups assisting victims and their families,” the AG’s Office said in a
statement released today. “As with other tragedies and times when the public
is inspired to make charitable contributions, criminals will likely attempt
to capitalize on that generosity.”
“Hoosiers are
always first in line to give their time and money to support others when
tragedy strikes,” Attorney General Greg Zoeller said. “But we can’t let scam
artists take advantage of that good will. Make sure to do your research
before you donate, so that you know your contribution will truly go to
support the victims of this horrific act.”
Some tips:
¥Determine if the
charity is legitimate. Ask or look for written information on the
organization or cause, including a contact name, address, telephone number,
and mission statement. Visit the Internal Revenue Service’s website, which
maintains a list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible
charitable contributions. And watch for charities with similar sounding
names. Some unscrupulous charities use names that are very similar to those
of respected organizations to scam consumers.
¥Determine how your
donation will be used. Be suspicious of vague appeals that don’t specify the
destination and use of funds. Know exactly how and when your donation will
be used. Contact one of the organizations listed on the Attorney General’s
website which collect financial information on charities, to see how much it
spends on fundraising and administrative expenses and how much on actual
programs and services. Know whether you are donating to a charity or an
advocacy group.
¥Watch out for
phishing scams. Do not click on pop-up solicitations or reply to emails
asking for donations. These are likely phishing scams. Be suspicious if a
caller or invoice thanks you for making a pledge that you didn't make. If
you have any doubt about whether you made a pledge, check your records.
¥Exercise caution
when donating online or to crowdfunding platforms. With crowdfunding
projects, it is difficult to know whether the solicitations are for
legitimate causes. If they are not, it may be very difficult for those who
donated to get their money back. Consider donating only to people you
personally know or established charities. If you do donate via crowdfunding,
make sure that collected moneys are received and administered by a third
party, like a bank. This will help provide oversight to ensure that
collected funds are used appropriately. Check to see if the crowdfunding
effort is backed by a registered 501(c)(3).
¥Never wire money
or use a pre-paid debit card to make a donation. Always make contributions
by credit card or check and payable to the charitable organization, not to
the solicitor.
¥Know that you can
cancel a pledge prior to making a contribution. Under Indiana law, a
contributor has the right to cancel a pledge for monetary contributions at
any time prior to making the contribution.