Attorney General: Beware year-end charity scams
The Indiana Attorney General’s office is warning about scams that could try to take advantage of those making end-of-the-year charity donations.
Many charities solicit donations at the end of the year to put their group on a solid financial footing and to build a strong foundation, however scam artists try to take advantage of the surge of requests to trick you into misdirecting your charitable gifts.
Attorney General Todd Rokita suggests that you research any charity you are thinking about donating to. He says don’t be fooled by sound-alike names scammers might use to mimic legitimate charities. You should make sure you are dealing with the real charitable organization
You should be leery of year-end appeals from unknown or unfamiliar organizations. You might get those requests by phone, mail, email, and/or social media. If they do reach out to you by phone, don’t agree to donate any money without further researching the organization.
The attorney general says you should always donate by credit card rather than cash, to ensure you can access the protections available through your credit card company. And make sure you haven’t signed up for a recurring donation unless that was what you meant to do.
The attorney general’s office recommends researching charities before donating, at these websites: