Today (Tue) is Giving Tuesday and Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs encourages donors to “Pause. Check the Cause” to ensure their donations are going to legitimate charities and not scammers.
Assured Giving, a collaboration campaign between the Office of the Secretary of State and the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, provides resources and information that can help Washingtonians avoid deceptive or fraudulent solicitations and empower donors to make educated and informed giving decisions.
The Secretary of State’s Office is offering the following tips for donors to consider before giving this holiday season:
Pause. Do not give in to high-pressure solicitations demanding immediate commitment. Check the cause on the Washington Corporations and Charities Filing System before donating to make sure the charity or fundraiser is registered, and view the Commercial Fundraiser Activity Report, which is updated frequently. If an organization is registered, review its annual registration, including its federal tax-exempt status and financial information. If the organization is not registered, contact the Charities division at 360-725-0377. Check the organization’s Better Business Bureau rating at Give.org. If a third party is raising money for a charity, call the charity directly to make sure it authorized the solicitor to collect donations on its behalf. And do not give any personal information over the phone to any charity, and do not give your personal or financial information in response to a request that you did not expect.
