Attorney General Michelle Henry speaking in 2023.
(The following information was provided by the
Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.)
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry is offering
advice on how Pennsylvanians can support causes amidst the Israel-Hamas
conflict and avoid being victimized by ill-intentioned solicitors and scammers.
"Pennsylvanians are free to support any organization their
hearts desire, but I want to offer some guidance on how you can make sure that
support reaches the intended recipients, rather than scammers who exploit
opportunity and prey on our collective generosity,” Attorney General Henry
said. "On behalf of my office, I am providing three simple steps you can take
to protect your hard-earned dollars and donations.”
The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General offers these tips:
Step 1 — Ask Questions:
- Where
will your donation go specifically? Charities should always be able to
give you specific information on what your donation will fund.
- Who is
soliciting your donation? Bad actors will try to take advantage of you
without providing the name of the organization they represent.
- Ask
for the EIN (Employee Identification Number) for U.S.-based charities.
Charitable organizations should have this number and provide it to you.
The EIN helps simplify IRS searches for charity information.
- Ask
whether the fundraising campaign is being conducted by volunteers or paid
fundraisers. As well, how much of your donation will be received by the
charity?
Step 2 — Double Check:
- Check
with the IRS or the Pennsylvania
Department of State registries to see if this organization is
registered and if donations are tax deductible. In Pennsylvania, the
majority of charitable organizations engaged in public fundraising
campaigns must register with the Department of State
- While
an organization may be registered, it does not mean it is effective. Some
charitable organizations use the majority of donations received on their
fundraising costs rather than the purpose donors are asked to support.
Registration does not imply endorsement. Check nonprofit sites like org, CharityWatch.org, Charitynavigator.org or
similar trusted sites that regularly do research on charities.
- Be
wary of new charities: organizations that did not exist before and now
only exist because of a crisis may not be legitimate.
Step 3 — Be Careful How You Pay:
- Never
donate in cash or on your debit card. Credit cards are best.
- Avoid
using cryptocurrency, such as BitCoin.
- Never
give money without doing your research into the organization first.
- Scammers
try to create urgency and pressure when soliciting money – stay calm and
do not allow yourself to be pressured by urgent appeals.
If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, contact
your local police to file a report and file a complaint with the Office of
Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection at: 800-441-2555 https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/scams.
