California wildfires: State AG warns of price gouging, fraud

California Attorney General Rob Bonta is warning wildfire victims and other Californians to be on the lookout for price gouging and other scams, as many scammers may try to take advantage of the crisis.

Bonta and other local leaders issued several recommendations to victims to avoid falling prey to any scams after the fire destroyed more than 12,300 houses and buildings and killed at least 24 people. They also gave tips on how people can properly research and donate to charities to help victims in need.

“Unfortunately, we have seen such emergencies before, in addition to bringing out the good of many, they bring out the bad actors, who want to use the chaos of such times for their own benefit. Pray and exploit,” Bonta said in a press conference on Saturday.

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Bonta joined Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell, State Senator Sasha Renee Perez and Assemblyman Pilar Schiavo during the press conference to help share important information about the crisis, including how to stay safe. This includes being wary of fraudulent charity and fundraising appeals claiming to help victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.

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In a statement, Bonta’s office said: “Charities and crowdfunding sites that have sprung up overnight to respond to this crisis, well-intentioned or otherwise, may lack the experience, connections and staff needed to respond to a disaster, or may be fraudulent.”

Here are some tips from Bonta and other local leaders:

• Check all licenses, certifications and reviews of contractors, adjusters and charities. Fire victims from Contractors State Licensing Board To find licensed contractors.
• Don’t promise services or help and pay a lot of money up front.
• Use only official sites to verify government representatives or relief efforts.
• Regularly review financial accounts and credit reports for suspicious activity.
• Report suspected scams to local law enforcement or go oag.ca.gov/report.

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How to give correctly:

• Californians should take the time to research before giving.
• Check that the charity is registered with the Attorney General’s Register of Charities and Fundraisers and that it is up-to-date with its financial report by searching the Attorney General’s Register search tool. over here.

• Before donating, evaluate how much the charity spends directly on the cause of the charity and how much additional fees and workers’ compensation are paid.
• If you are unfamiliar with the charity, contact them and ask in writing for information on how it plans to support fire victims. You should also verify the charity’s name, address and non-profit status.
• If you plan to donate through social media appeals or online forums, first check whether the money is going to the charity, the platform, or the person who set up the appeal. Also, be aware of the percentage of your donation that goes to the charity or charitable cause and whether you will be charged.
• If you receive a call from a telemarketer, ask for the name of the fundraiser, whether it is registered with the Attorney General, the name of the charity being solicited, and how much your donation will go to the charity. Direct phone number to telemarketer and charity.

• Beware of fake organizations. Fraudsters can use names similar to those of well-established charities to mislead donors.
• Look out for scam websites that have a slightly different web address (URL) than a legitimate charity. Fraudulent websites may ask you for personal information or install harmful content on your device.
• If someone thanks you for a promise you never made, be suspicious and always check your records.

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• Being a charity does not mean that the organization is tax-exempt, or that your donation is tax-deductible. Just because an organization has a “tax identification number” or issues a “keep this receipt for your records” receipt to donors does not mean the organization is a charity or tax-exempt or that your donation is tax-deductible. You can check your charity’s tax-exempt status using the tools and information available on the IRS website.
• Do not give out your social security number or other personal information in response to a charity request.
• Never give out credit card information to an organization you don’t know. Some organizations sell or rent their donor lists to other organizations, including non-charitable organizations. To protect yourself, you should review the charity’s privacy policy to find out if your information is shared with outside companies.