Attorney General Curtis Hill said today that individuals should exercise caution when considering making charitable donations during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Hoosiers, by their very nature and values, tend to be a generous people eager to help their neighbors in times of crisis,” Attorney General Hill said. “Unfortunately, unscrupulous scammers attempt to take advantage of such good-heartedness. These con artists aim to trick unsuspecting donors out of their hard-earned money by posing as legitimate charities.”
To avoid falling victim to deceptive schemes, Attorney General Hill said, Hoosiers should follow these tips:
- Carefully scrutinize requests from organizations seeking donations purporting to be for charity.
- Don’t let names that sound like well-known charities confuse you or trick you into immediate donation. Beware of callers who claim to be endorsed by the state.
- If reached by phone, do not agree to donate money without further research into the organization. Don’t be pressured to make a donation over the phone.
- Research each organization or cause to which you might wish to donate.
- Do not share personal information or financial information in response to unsolicited emails, texts or phone calls.
- Be sure to ask how much of your donation will go directly to the program you want to help.
- If you are making a donation, make it by check or credit card rather than cash.
- Don’t assume solicitations on social media or crowdfunding sites are legitimate — or that hyperlinks are accurate — even in posts shared or liked by your friends. Contact your friends offline and request information about links they share.
- Go to a charity’s verified website and consider donating directly through the website. Legitimate donation websites should begin with “https” rather than just “http.”
