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Attorney General Todd Rokita is warning Hoosiers to watch for scams while finishing their holiday shopping this year.

“Christmas should be about celebrating faith and family and friends,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Amid each year’s festivities, though, it seems we must always contend with shameless con artists determined to defraud generous Hoosiers and separate them from their hard-earned money.”

Scammers are known to look for rushed, unsuspecting victims.

“This time of year,” Attorney General Rokita said, “individuals most absorbed in the season’s traditions could become easy prey to fraudsters. That includes shoppers hurrying to finish buying all the gifts on their lists. I encourage everyone to exercise vigilance to protect themselves.”

Attorney General Rokita offered the following tips for avoiding falling victim to scams:

• When shopping online, stick to secure websites that have “https” in the address (or a lock icon) rather than just an unsecured “http” site.
• Pay by credit card when online shopping. Always review your monthly statements for charges you don’t recognize. You can reverse charges or dispute a charge with your credit card company if necessary. It is more difficult to dispute charges on your debit card or obtain cash back.
• If you are purchasing gift cards, make sure you know the expiration date, as well as the terms that apply to the card. Keep receipts associated with gift cards in case they do not get properly activated to the amount you paid.
• Also on the subject of gift cards: Remember that any solicitor who contacts you by phone or email and asks you to pay with a gift card is no doubt a scammer. Do not cooperate with anyone making such a pitch.
• When shopping at physical store locations, conceal your purchases in the trunk of your vehicle or under the seat rather than leaving them in plain sight through windows. Also keep a close watch on purses and wallets when walking through shopping areas.
• Stave off “porch pirates” by making sure home exteriors stay well-lit. Follow a plan for the arrival of home deliveries, such as arranging for trusted neighbors to receive deliveries when you’re gone. Homeowners also may consider such options as purchasing lockable drop-off boxes or security systems with cameras.
• If a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Take your time to investigate and be skeptical of such deals. Ask questions. Be sure to read the fine print to make sure you are purchasing exactly what you want on the terms you expect.
• Closely read emails advertising holiday deals to make sure they come from the companies they claim to represent rather than imposters and fraudsters. Consider navigating to a company’s official website through a trusted search engine rather than clicking on a link in an email.
• To protect your personal information, refrain from making online purchases while using public Wi-Fi.
• Never make hurried decisions. Scam artists want to pressure you into making a quick commitment to buy from them. Slow down and check out details for yourself.
• Research charities before donating — and follow the same online payment and security rules you would follow with online shopping. You can look up charities’ reports and ratings on these websites: Give.org; GuideStar.org; CharityWatch.org; and CharityNavigator.org.

Thinking about giving this holiday season? Here are five tips to help ensure that your contribution is going to a charity in need for a cause you support.

1- Research the charity. Understand how your money will be used by the charity before you donate. Websites like the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Navigator make it easy to find this information.

2- Know who’s asking you for money. Ask if the person contacting you for a donation is a paid fundraiser. A paid fundraiser is paid to raise money on behalf of a charity, but is not an employee of the charity. These payment arrangements can vary widely. For information about the payment arrangement between the paid fundraiser and the charity, visit the “Charities” page on the Consumer Assistance Program’s website, or call 1-800-649-2424.

3- Don’t feel pressured to give over the phone. If you are interested in donating, but don’t want to give payment information over the phone, ask the charity to mail you information. This will give you more time to make your decision and research the charity.

4- Be cautious of scams. Fraudsters use the same contact methods as legitimate charities (phone, mail, email) and will try to trick you into “donating” money. Be wary of unsolicited emails asking you to donate, even if the email looks legitimate or you have heard of the charity. Stop and think before you click the link! Call the charity at a verified number and ask if they are collecting donations by email, or hover your cursor over the link before clicking on it. If there is a redirected link that does not go to the charity’s website, it could be a scam. If you receive a request for a donation by phone, ask for detailed information about the charity, including the exact name of the charity and how your money will be used. If the solicitor refuses to give this information, or if they ask you to pay by wire transfer, cash, or prepaid gift card—don’t engage! It’s likely a scam.

5- Consider volunteering. Giving comes in more ways than just money. If you are interested in volunteering this holiday season, contact a charity in your community to see how you can help. Giving your time can be just as valuable as giving your money.

The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the publicly available data it provides on electronically filed Forms 990 in a machine-readable format will be available solely on the Tax Exempt Organization Search webpage.

Beginning December 31, 2021, the IRS will no longer update the Form 990 Series data on Amazon Web Services. This change is to provide access to public data for organizations with tax-exempt status in one location on IRS.gov on the Charities and Nonprofits webpage.

The Tax Exempt Organization Search Bulk Data Downloads webpage has multiple data sets of information about organizations’ tax-exempt status and filings with instruction on how to download.

The Form 990 series data set includes XML and individual PDF files of Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax; Form 990-EZ, Short Form Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax; and Form 990-PF, Return of Private Foundation and related schedules. The IRS redacts personally identifiable tax-identification numbers to prevent the data’s misuse.

The Form 990 series returns are the primary tool for IRS to gather information about tax-exempt organizations and promote compliance with tax-law requirements. Organizations also use the Form 990 to share information with the public about their programs. Additionally, most states rely on the Form 990 to perform charitable and other regulatory oversight and to satisfy state income tax filing requirements for organizations claiming exemption from state income tax.

A tax-exempt organization must file an annual information return or notice with the IRS unless an exception applies. Annual information returns include Form 990, Form 990-EZ and Form 990-PF. Form 990-N (e-Postcard) is an annual notice.

For updates on TEOS and other issues related to charities and nonprofits, please subscribe to the Exempt Organization Update newsletter.

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey encouraged West Virginians to give to charity this holiday season but to exercise caution before making any donations.

“As we get closer to the holidays, a lot of people tend to give to charitable causes,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “We want people to continue to do that, but it’s also important that they take steps to make sure they’re not getting ripped off by those who would prey upon the goodwill of others. Donate with your heart, but don’t forget to use your head.”

Anyone with questions about the legitimacy of a charity or organization can review the Secretary of State’s website to see if the charity is registered to solicit donations in West Virginia. Consumers may also research the charity on websites such as CharityNavigator.org or GuideStar.org.

Those interested in knowing if a donation is tax-deductible can access the U.S. Internal Revenue Service’s Tax Exempt Organization Search at https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/.

Those making an online contribution should make sure the website starts with https:// when visiting the donation portal. This verifies a secure connection, making it less likely that personal information will be stolen.

Additional tips to keep in mind during the season of giving are:

• Never feel pressured to donate immediately.
• Be wary of charities that ask for donations in cash or via wire transfer.
• If the organization is unfamiliar, research as much information as possible.
• Beware some scams may use sympathetic-sounding names that are similar to the names of legitimate charities.
• Be suspicious if organizations will not give additional information about their mission, how they use donations or proof that a contribution is tax deductible.
• If a donation request is for a local chapter of an organization, verify it is authorized to solicit funds on behalf of the parent organization.
• Go directly to the charity or organization’s website instead of clicking on a link to the desired group.
• Keep records. Contributions exceeding $250 should result in a returned letter confirming the charitable status of the organization as well as the amount of the donation.

The advice comes as part of the Attorney General’s Holiday Consumer Protection Week.

Anyone who feels as though they have been scammed while giving to a charity should call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-368-8808, the Eastern Panhandle Consumer Protection Office in Martinsburg at 304-267-0239 or visit the office online at www.wvago.gov.