Maryland officials warning consumers to be wary of fraud when donating to hurricane relief

MARYLAND – Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown is warning citizens to be cautious of fraudulent charities and scams when donating to hurricane relief efforts.

Brown says scam artists often take advantage of disasters to set up fake charities. With recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton, many are eager to help those impacted by making donations, but officials say you should confirm a few things before you donate. Checking to see if the charity is registered with the Maryland Secretary of State’s Public Registry is a start. You should also only donate to well-known national or local charities with experience in disaster relief.

Additionally, officials say you should keep the following in mind:

• Never agree to give money over the phone or to a door-to-door solicitor. Ask the caller or solicitor for written information about the charity and read it before making your decision.
• Avoid high-pressure and time-sensitive tactics, such as those urging you to make an immediate donation.
• Be carry about clicking on requests for donations found in emails, on third party websites, or social media.
• Before donating to a particular organization, search the charity’s name online with words such as “scam” or “review” to see what, if any, experiences others have had.
• Don’t respond to requests for prepaid credit cards, gift cards, or bitcoin. Officials say someone asking for donations through these methods is likely a scammer.
• Don’t agree to send money through a courier or wire