Natural disasters often result in predatory consumer scams popping up nationwide, and Arizona consumers need to be alert to those potential schemes related to Hurricane Sandy, according to the Arizona’s Attorney General office. As a result the AG’s Office has issued consumer tips for charitable giving.
To help victims of Sandy, the AG’s Office is suggesting that the public consider donating to nationally known and legitimate charities, like the Red Cross, rather than charities that they may not recognize. The IRS says that swindlers may attempt to use the destruction Sandy left behind in order to trick people into donating money to bogus sites that appear to be charities.
• Don’t judge a charity by its name. False charities may use names that closely resemble legitimate charities.
• Don’t let callers play on your sympathy by identifying their organization with the specific disaster. This can be a tactic to get your money.
• Don’t be pressured. Give only when you are comfortable with the charity.
• Avoid cash donations and make checks payable to the organization, not to an individual.
• Internet scams may emerge on social media and through unsolicited emails.
• After natural disasters, schemers often use fake videos, URLs or other schemes designed to commit identity or financial theft.
• Be cautious of Facebook postings, tweets, emails and websites claiming to have exclusive video or pleading for donations for disaster relief efforts. The postings often include malicious code that attempts to infect computers with viruses, spyware or Trojan horses.
More information on how to protect yourself from charitable scams is available here: http://www.azag.gov/consumer/CharityScams.pdf