Georgia Secretary of State warns of holiday donation scams

ATLANTA - Holiday donations are in high demand this year, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic creates economic uncertainty. While the Georgia Secretary of State is encouraging residents to donate, the message comes with a warning.

Secretary Brad Raffensperger has launched a video warning about making safe donations during the holiday season. It offers tips and resources for anyone who wants to donate to a worthy cause. 

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Some of the advice offered include: 

1. Research the organization you want to donate to 

2. Give your donations through a credit card or check. Don’t use cash or gift cards

3. Keep a record of all donations and monitor your bank statements to make sure you were charged the correct amount

4. Don’t fall for fake groups that have a similar name to a real organization

5. Be aware that scammers tend to use vague and sentimental language but don’t offer specifics about how your donation will be used

Those are just a few of several tips offered by the Charities Division of Secretary of State’s Office. 

If you want to report a scam or fraudulent activity, you can call 570-312-2640 or email charities@sos.ga.gov.

You can also file a complaint with the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint.

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