Warnings made about possible scams

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT-MESA -- Local agencies are warning residents to be wary of

scams and fraudulent groups of people who may be pretending to ask money

for victims of the recent terrorist attacks on the East Coast.

Police say such scams have not been reported locally yet.

“But it is only a matter of time before it happens,” said Newport

Beach Police Sgt. Steve Shulman.

Shulman said a wise move would be to ignore telephone solicitations.

“We always discourage people from doing that,” Shulman said.

He said people should approach the local police or fire department and

other well-known organizations, such as the American Red Cross or

American Cancer Society, to find out how they can help.

The Newport Beach Fire Department also sent out warnings last week

cautioning residents about online terrorism-related scams.

Many “spammers” are trying to steal money and credit card numbers, say

officials, who encourage residents not to respond to these e-mails.

Fire officials say phone solicitors have been requesting residents to

leave money or donations in envelopes on a door step that may be picked

up, in some instances, that day.

A minimum of $25 is typically requested, and the solicitors shun the

suggestion that the donation be mailed to the organization.

“It’s unfortunate,” said Shulman, “but there are people who would

exploit and make money off of other people’s emotions.”

FYI

Hints to verify if an organization is legitimate:

* Ask to see, their Solicitation Registration Card issued by the city

they operate in. They are required to carry that and a copy of their

recent Business License.

* Ask for copies of their most recent IRS form 990. If they don’t

release those forms, they may face fines of up to $10,000 per request.

* Ask for the URL of the Web site that the IRS Form 990 may appear on.

* Ask for the organization’s financial statement.