Lansing -  Attorney General Mike Cox has encouraged consumers to balance their generosity with caution when making charitable donations to victims of this week’s devastating earthquake in Haiti and to be on the lookout for charity scams.

“Michigan families’ generosity is remarkable so it is important to ensure their donations for disaster relief go where they are intended, not into scam artists’ pockets,” said Cox.  “Residents are encouraged only to donate to charities they trust and to contact my office for information on specific charities if they ever have any questions.”

In a Consumer Alert, “Support Haitian Disaster Relief – But Avoid Scammers,” posted on the Attorney General’s Web site at www.Michigan.gov/ag, Cox warns consumers to be particularly skeptical of e-mail requests for donations by unfamiliar organizations, which may be nothing more than ruses by identity thieves trying to collect consumers’ personal information under false pretenses.

Cox also warns consumers to be on guard against cell phone text message scams and bogus appeals from social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.  While some leading relief charities now accept donations via cell phone, unsolicited text messages that seek money or personal information, like unsolicited telephone and e-mail communications, should be viewed with suspicion and handled with caution. Even messages that seem to come from established charities can be scams. Cox advises consumers to contact charitable organizations of their choice directly.

Citing numerous scams arising from Hurricane Katrina and last decade’s Tsunami disaster, Cox said many fraudulent e-mails and Web sites in the past have begged consumers to send money to bogus disaster relief charities, while others have carried viruses or “Trojan horses,” which can wreak havoc on consumers’ computers and extract sensitive information contained on their hard drives.

Today’s consumer alert also provides contact information for established organizations that are engaged in Haitian relief efforts.

Citizens are encouraged to visit www.Michigan.gov/ag for additional information and advice on charitable giving and other consumer alerts. The Attorney General’s Charitable Trust Section, which licenses most charities that solicit donations, can answer questions about a specific organization. To reach the Charitable Trust Section, call 1-517-373-1152.

Source:  News release from Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox