Protecting Washingtonians from scams and charity fraud this giving season

It's the time of year for thankfulness and charity. But as we approach Giving Tuesday, it's important for donors to ensure their generosity benefits legitimate charities and to protect themselves from scams.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the 10th annual International Charity Fraud Awareness Week, during which the Washington State Attorney General's Office (AGO) and the Office of the Secretary of State are sharing information to help Washingtonians avoid deceptive or fraudulent charity solicitations. It's part of a campaign on the AGO website and on social media that we're calling "Pause. Check the Cause."

Pausing before donating allows people to avoid giving impulsively and falling victim to solicitations that could be scams. Checking the cause is a reminder to do research to make sure the organization is tax-exempt and registered as a charity with the Secretary of State.

"Giving back to the community is vital and strengthens the fabric of our state," Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said. "But Washingtonians should be able to give to the causes they care about without having to worry their money will be stolen. These tips will help protect people from fraud."

Common scams

• Spoofing or impostor scams: An organization uses a name that mimics a well-established charity or uses multiple names to get multiple donations from the same person.

Tips: Ask the purported charity for its employer identification number (EIN) and search the databases of the Office of the Secretary of State and the IRS to verify that it's legitimate. Search the internet for the exact name of the well-known charity and give directly on its website. Search the name of the purported charity and the word "scam," "fraud," or "legit."

• Phishing scams: A scammer sends an email or text message that appears to be from a legitimate charity with links to a website that looks like the charity's website. Scammer steals money and data from the donor.

Tips: Don't click on links in emails or text messages. Navigate to the charity's website directly. Be wary of unfamiliar organizations or unsolicited donation requests. Call the charity to learn more.

• Pop-up scams: A fake organization forms in response to a particular issue and asks for donations, often after a natural disaster or tragedy, and uses crowdfunding or social media platforms to raise money.

Tips: Give to registered charities and ones that have been around for at least three years. Be wary about donating to crowdfunding or social media solicitations.

• Payment-method scams: Certain types of payment methods carry risks and should be used with caution or avoided completely.

Tips: If using tap-to-pay, be sure to look at the amount on the other person's device before tapping. Sometimes a scammer will increase the donation amount without the donor's knowledge. Avoid using payment methods that are not secure, such as gift cards, digital currency, or wire transfers. Do not share personal information over the phone.

Visit the AGO website to learn about other scams and find out how to protect against them. Report violations and other unfair or deceptive acts or practices to the AGO here: General Consumer Complaint Form.

Educational sessions

The AGO and the Secretary of State are hosting free, one-hour educational sessions online and in-person about how to avoid charity fraud:

Dec. 1

• 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. - Webinar (link: https://atg-wa.zoom.us/j/84638678647?pwd=mOfibekIAtEvuD6XQ3k8DWHwo2t32E.1)
• 11 a.m. - noon - Olympia Timberland Library, 313 8th Ave., SE, Olympia 98501
• 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. - Hal Holmes Community Center, 201 N. Ruby St, Ellensburg 98926

Dec. 2

• 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. - Tacoma Public Library, South Tacoma Branch, 3411 S. 56th St., Tacoma 98409
• 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. - WorkSource Columbia Basin, 815 N. Kellogg St., Ste. D, Kennewick 99336
• 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. - WorkSource Columbia Basin, 815 N. Kellogg St., Ste. D, Kennewick 99336 (in Spanish)
• 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - Webinar (link: https://atg-wa.zoom.us/j/82754204978?pwd=fJhaurNaSGaOdiWOPFDkA5AxJOS3D8.1 (in Spanish)

Dec. 3

• 11 a.m. - noon - Neill Public Library, 210 N. Grand Ave., Pullman 99163
• 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. - Spokane Public Library, South Hill Branch, 3324 S. Perry St., Spokane 99203
• 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. - Webinar (link: https://atg-wa.zoom.us/j/88154855910?pwd=U0mrTjbKlE0IHXTwEdIaMK8BslACzC.1)

Dec. 4

• 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. - North Bend Public Library, 115 E. 4th St., North Bend 98045
• 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. - Webinar (link: https://atg-wa.zoom.us/j/83197023363?pwd=sPiR7hxrxPlY6hP9qUZydY33DIY6P1.1) (in Spanish)

Dec. 5

• 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. - Newcastle Public Library, 12901 Newcastle Way, Newcastle, 98056
• 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. - Webinar (link: https://atg-wa.zoom.us/j/88436328513?pwd=4wDJ8a8I6uka0Tka17FrubdG5tDQb7.1)

Dec. 6

• 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. - Everett Public Library, 2702 Hoyt Avenue, Everett 98201

Dec. 7

• 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. - Edmonds Public Library, 100 Durbin St, Edmonds, 98020

Additionally, interested parties can request an educational session by emailing [email protected] or by filling out this request form.

The Attorney General is responsible for protecting charitable assets from waste, fraud, and abuse, supervising charitable organizations, and protecting donors from charity scams. The AGO's role includes enforcing laws related to charities. In recent years, the AGO won a $1.4 million judgment against Vancouver-area charity directors who misused donor funds, successfully sued companies for making deceptive robocalls to raise money for sham charities, and went after a sham charity that claimed to raise money for injured veterans but spent almost nothing on their medical care.

International Charity Fraud Awareness Week is organized by the Fraud Advisory Panel, a charity in England and Wales, and the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It's promoted by the National Association of State Charities Officials.

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