The deaths of a Phoenix Police Officer and Phoenix Fire Fighter in separate incidents within the last week are raising concerns about potential charity scams, Arizona’s Attorney General said today. The Attorney Generals’ Office was alerted that possible charity scammers have already started to take advantage of the tragic deaths of Phoenix Police Officer Daryl Reatz and Phoenix Fire Fighter Bradley Harper.
The Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona website has information on how to contribute to the Harper family at http://pffaz.org/, and the 100 Club of Arizona has information about how to contribute to the Harper family, as well as the family of Officer Reatz at their website at http://www.100club.org/web/100Club.
The Attorney General’s Office released a set of guidelines that they advised residents to use to ensure that any money donated will be used for charitable purposes and not end up in the hands of a predatory scammer. The Attorney General’s Office also recommends looking up an entity at www.charitynavigator.org.
Attorney General’s Office issued tips for giving to charitable organizations:
•Be skeptical of anyone asking for a donation by requesting your credit card number or bank account information over the phone unless you already donate to that charity.
•Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as surviving victims or officials asking for donations.
•Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf to ensure contributions are received and used for the intended purpose.
•Don’t be shy about asking what percentage of your donation will go directly to the charity versus administrative costs.
•Do not pay bills or invoices you have received from charities unless you know you have already made a commitment to support them.
•Remember to ask for a receipt and statement that the contribution is tax deductible.
•Call the Secretary of State’s Office at 602.542.4285 or visit their website to make sure the charity is registered with them. A charity that operates without such registration is violating the law and should be seen as a red flag for consumers. Also be aware that registration with the Secretary of State does not guarantee all of the charity’s activities are legitimate.
•For more guidelines, visit: https://www.azag.gov/document/charity-scams-get-facts.
If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, contact the Attorney General’s Office in Phoenix at 602.542.5763; in Tucson at 520.628.6504; or outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas at 1.800.352.8431. To file a complaint in person, the Attorney General’s Office has satellite offices throughout the state with volunteers available to help. Locations and hours of operation are posted on the Attorney General’s website. Consumers can also file complaints on line by visiting the Attorney General’s website.