The Eugene Police Department, along with other law enforcement agencies in Oregon, encourages residents to be aware of who they donate their money to after groups of people have been spotted at high-traffic areas in Eugene asking for donations to help pay for the healthcare of children with life-threatening illnesses.
According to the Sherwood Police Department in north-central Oregon, officers contacted a group of people walking in the middle of traffic on Pacific Highway while asking for money.
The “charity group” was holding up a sign that said, “Donation: Help Noel Marrow Transplant,” and showed an image of a child.
Sherwood Police officials said in a Facebook post on July 16 that the group couldn’t provide details about the baby they needed money for, they couldn’t give details on the required medical procedures, or which medical facility the child was in, other than it was in another country.
Detectives with Sherwood Police found photos on social media of the alleged scammers in different locations, one in Sherwood and another in San Francisco. They also discovered an article from North Carolina that mentioned the same group doing the same thing.
After seeing reports on Facebook that local residents were concerned about the alleged scammers who were spotted in Eugene over the weekend, The Register-Guard reached out to the Eugene Police Department for comment.
According to Melinda McLaughlin, spokesperson for the Eugene Police Department, officers received a call regarding the alleged scammers and “checked it out.”
“If someone willingly gives their money as a donation to someone, there is not a crime to charge,” said McLaughlin. “That is why it is so important that people verify where their money is going.”
The following is a list of things to look out for when donating to charities to avoid falling victim to a scam.
How to avoid charity scams
Don’t trust caller ID as a form of identity verification; it is relatively simple for scammers to manipulate what appears on your screen to make it look like the call is coming from a recognized person or organization.
Don’t click links in messages or emails without confirming the sender’s origin.
Check a charity’s online presence before donating. Search for the name of the organization online and look for an official website and accompanying contact information. Check that the website is secure and keep an eye out for bad reviews or a lack of additional information about them. Another easy way to do this is to type the name of the charity online along with the words “fraud” or “scam.”
Beware of selling tactics such as pressuring you to donate immediately, promising you will receive prizes or other compensation for donating, contacting you repeatedly or out of the blue, or insisting you have previously donated though you have no memory of doing so.
Beware of suspicious payment methods such as requests to send your donation via wire transfers, gift cards, cash, or cryptocurrency. The safest way to pay is using a credit card so that your banking institutions can help you if things go awry.
If you are contacted with requests for a donation, ask for the charity’s name, website, phone number, address, email and details about their mission statement, who and how many people they service, what percentage of donations go directly to programs and where you can find further disclosures on their financials.
Check if the charity is registered or has credentials with your state charity regulator, the Better Business Burea Wise Giving Alliance, AARP, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, GuideStar, or the IRS Tax Exempt Organization search.
Double-check the name of the charity to ensure it is not only findable and known but also isn’t a suspiciously close variation of an existing, trusted organization.
Get a receipt after donating and check your bank statement to be sure things are consistent.
Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene police warn of roadside donation scam in Oregon
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Publish date : 2024-08-12 23:16:00
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