RALEIGH — As the cleanup and recovery from Hurricane Harvey moves into high gear, North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall is reminding North Carolinians to do their homework on organizations seeking donations.
“North Carolinians naturally want to reach out and help our neighbors who were hard hit by flooding in Texas, but sadly natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey also bring out the scam artists,” Secretary Marshall said on Friday.
“To make sure your generosity is actually helping those in need, look for charities that you know and contact them rather than responding to emotional appeals online from groups whose work you aren’t familiar with,” Marshall advised. “Look for organizations that have resources in the area and an established track record of helping people.”
The Secretary of State’s Charitable Solicitation Licensing Division encourages everyone to visit the charities section of www.sosnc.gov to check out groups soliciting you for donations and make sure they are legitimate charities.
If you believe you have been contacted by a scam charity, report it to the Secretary of State’s Office at 1-888-830-4989, or call your local authorities.
