The Federal Trade Commission is urging consumers to be cautious of potential charity scams in connection with the recent floods and tornadoes that have caused damage in the Midwest.
Scam artists may take advantage of this situation by creating bogus fund-raising operations. The FTC has issued a Consumer Alert, the “FTC Charity Checklist,” which lists precautions consumers should take when donating to charities. The alert, available at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt114.shtm, advises consumers to be wary of appeals that tug at your heart strings, especially pleas involving current events. If you are asked to contribute to a charity, the FTC recommends that you:
To order copies of this or other FTC Consumer Alerts, visit http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm#publications. The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint, or to get free information on consumer issues, visit http:// www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database available for more than 1,600 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
(FYI Midwest)
Vea este comunicado de prensa en español.