Don’t be fooled – here’s how to spot charity scams during the coronavirus pandemic

As businesses shutter and workers are laid off around the country, people are looking for ways to ease the economic strain through charitable donations in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

But scammers are also on the lookout for ways to trick you into giving to them instead. U.S. Attorneys General and other officials are warning citizens to be wary of cybercriminals who ask for money via emails, text messages or social media.

Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman sent a warning to the state’s residents Friday that scammers will use high-pressure tactics to push you into making a donation. They suggested researching a charity or organization before choosing to donate.

“With past emergencies as an indicator, Washingtonians always step up to help those in our state, country and around the world in need during a crisis,” Wyman said. “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our communities, charitable giving opportunities rise. So, too, do charity scams. I want to caution our fellow Washingtonians to pause before you donate. Scammers may use high-pressure tactics to force you to make a donation.

“Take your time and ask the right questions to make sure they are a legitimate organization before you give them your money.”

Officials also warned the public of several schemes that have emerged amid the coronavirus pandemic in a statement on Wednesday.

“Scammers have already devised numerous methods for defrauding people in connection with COVID-19. They are setting up websites, contacting people by phone and email, and posting disinformation on social media platforms,” G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, wrote in the statement.

Not only are scammers taking advantage of peoples’ good will, but they’re also cashing in on economic uncertainty. The Federal Trade Commission is already warning consumers to look out for scammers trying to get their hands on the $1,000 checks the U.S. government is considering sending to Americans to offset the economic impacts from the coronavirus, CNBC reports.

What are the signs of a scam?

The government will not ask you to pay anything upfront in order to receive your check, nor will officials call asking for personal details such as your Social Security number or your bank account information, Jennifer Leach, an associate director of the FTC, told CNBC.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation also issued a notice March 18 warning consumers that fraudsters are acting as agency representatives trying to get consumers to give away their personal details, CNBC reports.

There are several ways to spot a scam, though, Ferguson writes:

• Don’t give in to high-pressure solicitations that demand you make an instant commitment.
• Do your research before giving by checking to see if the charity is registered with your Secretary of State.
• If the organization is registered, you can review a summary of its tax status and financial records.
• Check the charity’s rating from the Better Business Bureau at www.give.org.
• Call the charity directly to make sure it has authorized the solicitor to collect donations on its behalf.

You can easily spot a scam by looking for generic greetings in emails and text messages, requests for confirmation of personal information, or emails related to updating your billing details, TIME reports.

“I’d tell people to assume every unsolicited effort to reach you or sell you something should be viewed with extreme skepticism,” Linda Sherry, director of consumer advocacy group Consumer Action told TIME. “People should vet the offer by hanging up the phone, deleting the emails and then reaching out to the entity independently if indeed it is a firm you do business with.

“Never heard of them? Then delete, hang up and don’t worry about it.”

This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 2:19 PM with the headline "Don’t be fooled – here’s how to spot charity scams during the coronavirus pandemic."