Consumer Alert: Be Cautious of Potential Charity Scams Following Disasters
Posted on July 11 , 2025 |
| HARTFORD – The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) is advising the public to be wary of fraudulent charities amid recovery efforts for natural disasters, such as the recent tragic flooding in Texas.“Severe summer weather such as tropical storms, flash flooding, hurricanes or tornadoes can have a devastating impact, leading to national attention and opportunities to donate,” said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. “Unfortunately, scammers also follow the news and will look to capitalize on your good will. Scammers target those with good intentions, creating fake charities and GoFundMe pages to solicit donations that will ultimately never reach the people they’re purported to benefit. We don’t want to discourage people from you from giving your time or money to these recovery efforts, but it is important to take a little extra time to do your research and only give to legitimate organizations.”
If you choose to donate, remember to: Verify the charity: To determine if the charity is legitimate, use online tools such as Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, GuideStar or the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. These tools offer a rating based on the charity’s transparency.
Read through website: Look through the charity’s website to learn about its history and mission. Check if the charity supplies its annual report of statistics.
Be aware of “lookalike” websites: Scammers will try to impersonate charities by using similar names and/or websites of well-known charities. Double-check that the URL and website does not have grammatical errors.Most non-profit organizations end with “.org” in their website domain. Fraudulent websites often ask for personal financial information such as Social Security number or banking information.
Ask questions: If approached by a charity solicitor in person, ask how the donation will be used. Answers should be specific regarding the organization’s origin, upcoming events, and its mission.If it is important to you, ask what percentage of your donation the organization will keep.If you are researching the charity online, you can call the organization’s customer service number.
Be wary of high-pressure tactics: If you feel pressured to donate right away or feel that something is off, trust your instinct. Legitimate charities will allow people to research before donating.
Only give to individuals you know: Personal stories posted to social media, GoFundMe and other sites may entice you to give, but just like a charity, do your research and make sure the person you are donating to is real.
Watch for phishing scams: If you are an administrator of a GoFundMe or other online donation account, be cautious of phishing scams trying to steal the money you’ve raised.
Avoid text or email charity solicitations: If you receive a message about donating to a charity through one of these forms, research the charity separately.Do not click on links from senders claiming to be charities as it can download harmful malware to your device.You may learn about a charity through social media, but it is best practice to search its name in a separate browser.
Use a traceable payment method: Pay or donate by check or credit card, not by wire transfer, gift card, or cash.Any charity soliciting in the State of Connecticut must be registered with the Department of Consumer Protection. Donors can verify the charity’s credentials through eLicense.ct.gov.
For more information or to file a complaint, contact the Department of Consumer Protection by emailing dcp.complaints@ct.gov or visit www.ct.gov/DCP/complaints.
Posted on July 11 , 2025 |
| HARTFORD – The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) is advising the public to be wary of fraudulent charities amid recovery efforts for natural disasters, such as the recent tragic flooding in Texas.“Severe summer weather such as tropical storms, flash flooding, hurricanes or tornadoes can have a devastating impact, leading to national attention and opportunities to donate,” said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. “Unfortunately, scammers also follow the news and will look to capitalize on your good will. Scammers target those with good intentions, creating fake charities and GoFundMe pages to solicit donations that will ultimately never reach the people they’re purported to benefit. We don’t want to discourage people from you from giving your time or money to these recovery efforts, but it is important to take a little extra time to do your research and only give to legitimate organizations.”
If you choose to donate, remember to: Verify the charity: To determine if the charity is legitimate, use online tools such as Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, GuideStar or the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. These tools offer a rating based on the charity’s transparency.
Read through website: Look through the charity’s website to learn about its history and mission. Check if the charity supplies its annual report of statistics.
Be aware of “lookalike” websites: Scammers will try to impersonate charities by using similar names and/or websites of well-known charities. Double-check that the URL and website does not have grammatical errors.Most non-profit organizations end with “.org” in their website domain. Fraudulent websites often ask for personal financial information such as Social Security number or banking information.
Ask questions: If approached by a charity solicitor in person, ask how the donation will be used. Answers should be specific regarding the organization’s origin, upcoming events, and its mission.If it is important to you, ask what percentage of your donation the organization will keep.If you are researching the charity online, you can call the organization’s customer service number.
Be wary of high-pressure tactics: If you feel pressured to donate right away or feel that something is off, trust your instinct. Legitimate charities will allow people to research before donating.
Only give to individuals you know: Personal stories posted to social media, GoFundMe and other sites may entice you to give, but just like a charity, do your research and make sure the person you are donating to is real.
Watch for phishing scams: If you are an administrator of a GoFundMe or other online donation account, be cautious of phishing scams trying to steal the money you’ve raised.
Avoid text or email charity solicitations: If you receive a message about donating to a charity through one of these forms, research the charity separately.Do not click on links from senders claiming to be charities as it can download harmful malware to your device.You may learn about a charity through social media, but it is best practice to search its name in a separate browser.
Use a traceable payment method: Pay or donate by check or credit card, not by wire transfer, gift card, or cash.Any charity soliciting in the State of Connecticut must be registered with the Department of Consumer Protection. Donors can verify the charity’s credentials through eLicense.ct.gov.
For more information or to file a complaint, contact the Department of Consumer Protection by emailing dcp.complaints@ct.gov or visit www.ct.gov/DCP/complaints.
