AG James urges caution when donating to wildfire recovery orgs

On Nov. 15, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued some guidelines for any New Yorkers looking to support wildfire-related relief efforts. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) warned New Yorkers to be wary of “sham charities attempting to take advantage of their concern” and encourages everyone to make sure they are giving to legitimate charitable organizations.

“As we witness the devastating impact of wildfires in New York and our neighboring states, it is inspiring to see so many New Yorkers eager to help,” said James. “I encourage New Yorkers to support verified charities and encourage them to remain vigilant against organizations that prey on people’s generosity for personal gain. Our office will continue to do all we can to protect your contributions and assist anyone who encounters predatory practices. I encourage New Yorkers who experience any issues when donating to contact my office.”

The OAG offers the following tips to ensure donations are safe and effective:

Solicitations via email

If you receive a solicitation by email, find out who is behind that email address. Contact the charity whose name is in the email or visit its website to find out if the email is really from the charity. Do not give personal information or your credit card number in response to an email solicitation unless you have checked out the charity.

Giving through social media or other fundraising sites

Before giving through social media or fundraising sites, research the identity of the organizer of the fundraising efforts and ask the same questions you would of a charity. Online platforms that host groups and individuals soliciting for causes may not thoroughly vet those who use their service. Donors should only give to campaigns conducted by people whom they know. Donors also should take a close look at the site’s FAQs and Terms and Conditions to see what fees will be charged. Also, don’t assume that charities recommended on social media sites, blogs, or other websites have already been vetted. Research the charity yourself to confirm that the charity is aware of the campaign and has given its approved permission for the use of its name or logo. If available, sign up for updates from the campaign organizer to keep abreast of how contributions to the campaign are being spent.

Check before giving

Donate to charities you are familiar with and carefully review information about the charity before you give. Check a website like disasterphilanthropy.org to find out which charities are at the aid forefront. Most charities are required to register and file financial reports with OAG’s Charities Bureau if they solicit contributions from New Yorkers. Check OAG’s website for financial reports of charities or ask the charity directly for its reports.

Ask how donation will be used

Find out how the charity plans to use your donation, including the services and individuals your donation will support. Find out more than just the cause. Find out what organization or entity will receive the money and what programs it conducts or what services it provides. Find out how much of the organization’s budget supports its mission. All charities have administrative expenses, but be wary if these costs outweigh the amount spent on relief.

Look into newly formed organizations carefully

Often, in the aftermath of tragedies, new organizations emerge to meet community needs. While most of these organizations are well-intentioned, and some may provide innovative forms of assistance, some may not have the experience or infrastructure to follow through on their promises, and some may turn out to be scams.

Exercise caution before texting a contribution

Check the charity’s website or call the charity to confirm it has authorized contributions to be made via text message.

Don’t give cash

Give directly to the charity either by check made payable to the organization or through the charity’s website.

Be careful about personal information

Be cautious before giving credit card or personal information over the phone, by text message, or via the internet. In all cases, make sure you are familiar with the organization to which you give such information and check to see that the fundraising campaign is legitimate.

Report suspicious organizations

If you believe an organization is misrepresenting its work or that a fundraising or charitable scam is taking place, file a complaint with the Charities Bureau, or call 212-416-8401.