The office of the State Attorney General is warning of a growing trend of scams that seek to exploit various humanitarian crises such as Hurricane Ida, the earthquake in Haiti, or the evacuations in war-torn Afghanistan.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office is urging residents to exercise caution when calls for help arrive by phone, email, or text asking for contributions that purport to be going to help those who have lost their homes and belongings, or are in need of food and medical supplies.

Schmidt added that his office had assisted in shutting down some scammers that were based in Michigan, telling people that they were fundraising in support of homeless veterans, children with autism, victims of house fires and breast cancer patients, and were getting the funds in the hands of bona fide organizations.

The Attorney General’s Office is offering up some tips to help you give safely:

• Support local, established charities. Despite solid work being done by many large, international charities, your donation can often have a greater impact when they support a cause close to your community, where you can see the results of your donation.
• Watch out for names that sound alike. Scammers often make their organization’s names sound very similar to other well-known charities.
• Be careful with telemarketers requesting contributions. Oftentimes, the telemarketer keeps a substantial portion of the donation. If you have questions about a solicitation, contact the charity directly.
• Ask questions to find out where your donation goes. Ask for written information, including how much of the money raised is actually used for charitable purposes and how much will end up in the hands of the professional fundraiser.
• Ask if your donation is tax deductible. Not all donations  to charities are tax deductible. You can check a charity’s status with the IRS at www.irs.gov. You can also check with your tax preparer before you assume a donation is tax deductible.
• Document your donation. Make the donation by credit card or check – NOT cash, wire transfer, or gift card. A solicitor that asks for payment by wire transfer or gift card is a red flag for scams.