CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey's office is urging consumers to exercise caution when giving charitable donations to military veterans.
Many consumers gladly give to veterans groups in remembrance of their sacrifice throughout the year and during holidays, such as Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Fourth of July.
“No one deserves our support, including financial, more than our servicemen and women who have given all to secure the freedom we enjoy today,” Morrisey said in a statement. “Unfortunately, scammers can use this surge of patriotism to steal personal information.”
Consumers can verify if the charity is registered to solicit donations in West Virginia on the Secretary of State’s website. Consumers may also want to research the charity at CharityNavigator.org or GuideStar.org.
Those contributing online should ensure the donation portal starts with https://, which confirms a secure connection and makes it less likely personal information will be stolen.
Additional tips to keep in mind are:
- Never feel pressure to donate immediately.
- Be wary of charities that ask for cash or donations via gift card or wire transfer.
- If the organization is unfamiliar, gather as much information as possible and do research.
- Be suspicious if an organization will not give additional information about its mission, how donations are used or proof that a contribution is tax deductible.
- If a donation request is for a local chapter of an organization, verify it is authorized to solicit funds on behalf of the parent organization.
- Go directly to the charity or organization’s website instead of clicking on a link to the desired group.
- Keep records. Contributions exceeding $250 should result in a returned letter confirming the charitable status of the organization as well as the amount of the donation.