NEW YORK – State Attorney General Letitia James Sunday issued an alert urging New Yorkers to beware of potentially fraudulent charities created in the wake of the hate-filled terror attack in Buffalo.
Anyone who is considering making a donation to organizations that are purportedly assisting victims of the shooting should consult the office’s charitable giving tips before donating. Scammers often use incidents of crisis to perpetuate frauds to divert donations away from the intended recipients.
“In the wake of tragedies, like the horrific shooting in Buffalo, scammers often take advantage of acts of kindness for personal gain,” said James. “As New Yorkers from every corner of the state show their support and solidarity with the Buffalo community, I urge them to be careful of sham charities and make sure they give to trustworthy organizations and groups. I join the whole Buffalo community and the entire state of New York in mourning this senseless, hate-filled act of terror.”
Check the attorney general’s website, charitiesnys.com, for financial reports of charities or ask the charity directly for its reports.
Report Suspicious Organizations. If you believe an organization is misrepresenting its work, or that a fundraising or charitable scam is taking place, please contact the Charities Bureau at charities.complaints@ag.ny.
