AG Moody Launches New Tool to Help Protect Generous Floridians

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is releasing a new consumer protection resource for donors this Giving Tuesday. Scams At A Glance: Charity Scams contains tips for avoiding scams involving fake charities and fraudulent crowdsourcing pages. Giving Tuesday is a popular day for donors to make charitable donations for the upcoming holiday season. Generous Floridians should make sure donations will be used as stated by the charitable organization, and not by a scammer exploiting the holiday season to make a dishonest dollar.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “It's Giving Tuesday, a great time to donate to help those in need, but before giving, do your research to make sure the organization seeking donations isn't a sham charity set up to steal your money or your personal information. Check out our latest Scams At A Glance for tips and resources to help you spot and avoid fake charities."

The Scams at a Glance: Charity Scams brochure includes tips for avoiding charity scams, such as:

• Before donating, ensure the charity is an accredited organization with the Better Business Bureau by searching the BBB Wise Giving Alliance website at Give.org;
• Research how donations are used by the charity. Visit CharityNavigator.org to see the organization’s spending breakdown;
• Do not provide banking information to someone who calls or emails unsolicited on behalf of a charity. If interested in donating, ask that the charity mail information and a pledge form; and
• Pay close attention to a charity’s name. It is not unusual for scammers to create sham charities with names similar to that of legitimate, well-known charities.

To read Scams at a Glance: Charity Scams in English, click here.

To read Scams at a Glance: Charity Scams in Spanish, click here.

Scams at a Glance is an outreach initiative, complete with a webpage on the Attorney General’s website, that contains information about common and emerging scams. Scams at a Glance brochures are free and easy-to-share with all citizens, including seniors or those without internet access. Since the launch of the program, more than a dozen specialized resource brochures have been released to the public. The downloadable trifolds are available in both English and Spanish and include tips for avoiding falling victim to fraud and common scams.

To learn more, visit MyFloridaLegal.com/ScamsAtAGlance.

Attorney General Moody recently released the 2021 Holiday Consumer Protection Guide. The guide contains a list of recalled items, as well as tips for safe holiday shopping.

To learn more, click here.