SPOKANE, Wash. – As the holiday season approaches, Spokane residents are being warned about charity scams that target individuals through multiple avenues. Jon Maroni from Numerica Credit Union highlighted the tactics used by these fraudsters.
“This is where fraudsters are going to pose maybe as a legitimate nonprofit or a charity that might even be one that you already have a relationship with,” Maroni said.
He noted that scammers might have access to donor lists and reach out to people via email.
“Maybe they got a hold of their donor list and they’re reaching out to you. Be very cautious about that. Look at the email address that it came from. And definitely again, don’t click on any links inside of those emails because again, once you click on a link, so many different things could happen,” Maroni said.
Clicking on links from these emails may lead to computer viruses or redirect users to fake websites, turning them into scam victims. Maroni also warned about street solicitations.
“We’ll also see people who are just on the street soliciting donations for nonprofits. Be very skeptical about that. We see a high, high frequency of people who are doing that, and it’s not legitimate,” he said.
For those wanting to ensure a charity’s legitimacy, Maroni recommended checking with the Washington Secretary of State. By using the Corporate and Charities Filing System (CCFS), residents can verify organizations like the Spokane-based Women Helping Women Fund.
“We renew every spring,” Maroni said.
Geneva Johns, Executive Director of the Women Helping Women Fund, encouraged transparency from organizations.
“You’re always entitled to ask for that information. And they should be able to provide it to you pretty easily,” Johns said.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker is another resource for reporting and identifying scams. Their 2024 report found that online purchase scams were the fourth riskiest for consumers last year. The BBB has also compiled a “Naughty List” of the top 12 holiday scams, including misleading social media ads and charity scams.
“It’s a very creative and, you know, dare I say, fun way to kind of really highlight a very important issue and to stress, you know, how critical it is that we do have our guard up now,” Cameron Nakashima of the BBB stated.
The BBB’s website, allows users to examine charities’ legitimacy, focusing on charity governance, finances, and transparency.
“We’ve got 20 standards that we vet charities against, and the ones that really stand out and have committed themselves accredited charities. And you can also just see how they how they spend their money, how they operate, and if they are legitimate or not,” Nakashima said.
For those looking to give back safely this holiday season, officials advise verifying charities through recommended websites unless donations are made through volunteer work or physical drop-offs.
