District attorneys warn about storm relief fundraising scams
The district attorneys of Dutchess and Ulster counties are warning local residents to be wary of requests for donations to aid victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Dutchess District Attorney William Grady said the only way to ensure a contribution is going to a legitimate organization is to donate to an established charity.
“If anyone feels that an attempt to solicit donations is being made that is not legitimate, they should immediately call the Dutchess County sheriff, the New York state police or their local lawenforcement agency and advise them,” Grady said.
Ulster District Attorney Holley Carnright offered several tips for consumers to consider before making donations:
• Do not respond to any spam email or click on links contained within those messages.
• Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as survivors or officials asking for donations via email or social networking sites.
• Verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations.
• Be cautious of emails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses.
• Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
• Do not give personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions.
Spam email can be forwarded to spam@uce.gov and then deleted. The Ulster County Division of Consumer Affairs can be reached at (845) 340-3260.