Community Corner

Exploiting The Coronavirus In NJ: Watch Out For Fake Charities

Officials warn that scammers are taking advantage of the generosity of others.

NORTH JERSEY - With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, people across Morris County are doing what they can to help one another, to be supportive of friends and neigbors and community members in need. But not everyone is benevolent.

According to officials, the bad guys using cyber tricks are trying to use this compassion to their advantage. Many are posing as charitable organizations that claim to fund research, support hospitals, or provide help to victims of the virus.

Be careful and don’t be fooled, said Morris County’s Office of Information Technology.

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Want to donate to real causes? Here are some tips:

  • Do your research. Use a trusted website like Charity Navigator to research an organization before making donations.
  • Reach out. Contact your charitable organization of choice directly by going to their website or calling your local chapter.
  • Never trust a link. Even if the email appears to be sent from a legitimate organization, type the webpage into your browser instead of clicking a link provided in an email.
  • Stop Look Think – Don’t be fooled

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