Want to donate to Maui? Here’s how to stay away from scammers
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IDAHO FALLS — In the wake of the Maui fires, the national community is reeling. Homes and lives have been lost, businesses destroyed, and people want to know how they can help. Fundraising efforts are in high gear as the country rallies to Maui’s aid.
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As with most natural disasters, there are bound to be scammers posing as representatives of charities, ready to take your money. In fact, the Maui Police Department posted a warning to the public on its Facebook page Wednesday afternoon about avoiding scammers.
“The Maui Police Department wants the public to stay vigilant and cautious when dealing with any solicitation for donations,” the post reads. “Especially if it involves law enforcement or public service organizations.”
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Idaho authorities are urging well-meaning Idahoans to use good judgement when donating, as well. Here are some guidelines to donating wisely.
Do your research
Beware of scammers who create fake charities during natural disasters or other tragedies.
“Make sure you have a legitimate, trusted source,” Sgt. Bryan Lovell, public information officer for the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, encourages.
Doing your research on a charity is only an internet search away. Search the charity or organization’s name along with “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” “fraud” or “scam.” If bad reviews come up, it’s probably best to avoid giving it your money, says the FCC.
Important background information like financial records and IRS filing are available online, as well. Donors can review the charity’s tax-exempt status and IRS financial filings at www.irs.gov.
“Financial records inform the public about a charity’s mission and show how a charity spends its money,” Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador’s office said in a written statement. “Giving to an organization that spends most of its money on furthering its charitable purpose is better than donating to one that spends the bulk of its funds on administrative costs and employee compensation.”
Perhaps the easiest way to find a way to donate is checking your local law enforcement’s social media accounts.
“When there’s a tragedy, our agency will put out a message on social media about where to donate,” Lovell tells EastIdahoNews.com.
These are often the only authorized donation points for people to use, he says.
If you are still in doubt, here are some websites you can use to validate a charity.
Suspicious emails
Scammers regularly use email for phishing attacks and to spread malware, according to officials.
Always visit a charity’s website directly to donate money. Don’t click on links in an email. This can take you to fraudulent websites where you are scammed out of your personal information, or malware or spyware can be installed on your devices.
The Federal Trades Commission (FTC) reminds people, “don’t pay with wire transfers through companies like Western Union or MoneyGram.” These kinds of transfers are hard to trace and the chances of getting you money back is slim.
Social media and crowdfunding
Be wary of crowdfunding campaigns and social network fundraising, officials advise. Crowdfunding can be a great way to fundraise, but it also attracts scammers .Double-check any solicitation on social media for charitable donations.
“Research who is behind it, who’s running it,” Lovell advises. “Make sure they’re authorized to collect funds.”
Crowdfunding websites often host individual requests for help, but they are not always vetted by the site or other sources.
“Money given to crowdfunding campaigns go directly to the fundraiser’s organizer,” the FTC explains. “Are they (and you) sure the organizer will give donations to the person or charity listed?”
“If you freely donate your money, that can be difficult to investigate as a scam,” Lovell says. “Just be sure you know where your money is going.”
So how do you donate?
Here is a list of organizations you can use to help the relief efforts in Maui.
From the Maui Police Department:
National Organizations:
Other Organizations: