Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton Announces Inves­ti­ga­tion into Fraud­u­lent Char­i­ty Imper­son­ation Scams After Trag­ic Flooding

Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced an investigation into fraudulent charity scams where bad actors used payment processors to collect donations under false pretenses for personal gain. 

“It is sick and disgusting that people would use the tragedy of the devastating floods to enrich themselves by deceiving well-meaning people trying to help,” said Attorney General Paxton. “I will use the full weight of my office to investigate these claims and hold bad actors responsible. Please continue to pray for those affected by this tragedy and report any scams to my office.”  

The Center Point Volunteer Fire Department (“CPVFD”) of Kerr County, Texas responded to the Texas Hill Country’s catastrophic floods with search, rescue, and recovery operations. As the CPVFD heroically assisted victims, their fire station was predominantly lost to floodwater. As a designated 501(c)(3) organization, CPVFD sought donations to fund itself and continue assisting Texans during this disaster. Bad actors seeking to exploit the tragedy for personal profit began to target CPVFD in several payment platform impersonation schemes, deceiving consumers into transferring money to them instead of CPVFD. Attorney General Paxton immediately launched an investigation to stop the fraud and hold the scammers accountable. 

Texans who wish to give money or provide services to assist those impacted by the devastating flooding should consider the following resources and practices to avoid scams:  

• Do not wire money or confirm financial or personal information, including bank account, credit card, or Social Security numbers. 
• CharityWatch, formerly known as The American Institute of Philanthropy, is a charity watchdog group that helps donors make informed choices. 
• GuideStar gathers data on millions of IRS-recognized nonprofits. 
• Do not trust a name or phone number. Scammers often use fake names and phone numbers to disguise their identity and area code. 
• Be vigilant against text message solicitations or “smishing” for donations.  
• You can put your number on the Texas Do Not Call Registry (by visiting  www.TexasNoCall.com or by calling toll-free at 1-888-309-0600) and the National Do Not Call Registry (by visiting www.donotcall.gov or by calling toll-free at 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236)).   

Report suspected fraud to the Texas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division by calling toll-free 1-800-621-0508 or by filing an online complaint here. For additional tips and guidance on charitable giving, visit the Attorney General’s website here.