Watch out for Hurricane Harvey charity scams, authorities say

By some estimates, Americans have already pledged more than $150 million to various Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, and more donations are coming in every day. But with that much money at stake, scammers and con artists are trying to get in on the action, Oklahoma’s attorney general said Friday.

People need to be careful about where they send contributions, AG Mike Hunter warned.

“Use caution and research to ensure that a charity is registered to solicit in the state,” he suggested. A list of registered charities can be found at www.sos.ok.gov/charity.

Hunter’s other advice included:

• Donate only to well-known and established charities.

• Be suspicious of a charity that seems to have been established in response to this specific disaster.

• Ask for written information about the charity’s name, mission, administrative costs and how donations will be used.

• Listen carefully to a charity’s name and be suspicious if it seems to mimic a better-known, reputable organization.

• Avoid any charity that uses high-pressure tactics or promises a prize in exchange for a donation.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a similar warning about con artists collecting “donations” nationally. And the FTC offered several warning signs that a solicitor might not represent a legitimate charity.

• Won’t provide proof that a contribution is tax-deductible.

• Thanks you for a pledge you don’t remember making.

• Tries to collect a donation immediately, without giving you time to think about it.

• Asks for a contribution to be made in cash or wants you to wire money.

• Offers to send a courier or overnight delivery service to collect the donation.

Meanwhile, one legitimate charitable organization, the Tulsa Community Foundation, has collected nearly $800,000 from Tulsa donors for hurricane relief efforts, officials said Friday.

The foundation will support mid- and long-term relief for victims of Hurricane Harvey by supporting charitable and nonprofit organizations in the impacted areas, said Phil Lakin Jr., the foundation’s chief executive officer.

“Early support from Tulsa has exceeded our expectations,” Lakin said. “It shouldn’t be a surprise, though,” considering how generous the city has been after previous disasters.