September 5, 2017
By Paragon News Director Paul Joseph –
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter is warning Oklahomans of charity fraud and other scams in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
Hunter says the work of charitable organizations is key to the recovery process after a disaster, however, some see it as an opportunity to run scam operations asking for money the victims never see.
He says as the tragedy on the Gulf Coast continues to unfolds he knows Oklahomans will step up but he urges caution before donating money. He says spend a little time doing search to ensure a particular charity is “registered to solicit” in the state to avoid becoming the victim of a charity scam.
Charities looking to solicit donations in Oklahoma must be registered through the secretary of state.
Before donating, the attorney general says one of the easiest ways to find out if a charity is registered is to look it up on the secretary of state’s website at: www.sos.ok.gov/charity/, or by calling (405) 521-3912.
Additionally, the attorney general’s consumer protection unit offers the following guidelines to avoid becoming a victim of charity fraud.
- Donate only to charities that you know and trust;
- Be wary of charities that seem to have been formed specifically in response to a particular disaster;
- Listen carefully to the name of the purported charity. Scam artists often claim to be associated with a charity that mimics the name of a well-known, reputable organization;
- Be suspicious of any solicitor that uses high pressure or aggressive tactics, asks for donations in cash or promises prizes in exchange for a donation.
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