Secretary of State Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr join the Federal Trade Commission, law enforcement officials, and charity regulators from every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, and Puerto Rico in announcing more than ninety-five actions against charities, fundraisers, and individuals in a new donor education campaign called “Operation Donate with Honor,” a crackdown against fraudulent charities scamming consumers by falsely promising their donations will help veterans and service members.

Every year, grateful Americans honor the sacrifices made by those who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces with contributions to charities promising to deliver needed help to veterans and service members.  Most of these charities live up to fundraising promises, but a few attract donations by lying about help and support not actually delivered. In the process, they harm not only well-meaning donors but also the many legitimate charities engaged in vital work on behalf of veterans and service members.

“It is an honor to take part in this massive, nationwide effort to crack down on deceptive charity schemes claiming to help our veterans and military communities,” said Secretary of State Brian Kemp. “We will not tolerate con artists trying to scam kindhearted people in the name of a fake charity.”

“It is our duty to support our military community during and after their service, and we applaud the many charitable organizations whose mission serves that purpose,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “Unfortunately, there are networks that attempt to exploit our military servicemen and women’s sacrifice for this great nation as a way to turn a profit. We refuse to sit idly by and allow this to happen, and we are a proud partner in this nationwide sweep to rid these con artists from our marketplace.”

Georgia has taken action against several fraudulent veterans charities, including Something for Soldiers Sales, LLC; United Veterans Association; AMVETS National Service Foundation; Heels for Combat Boots; Operation Troop Aid; and the United Veterans Foundations. State officials have either barred these groups from soliciting in Georgia or required them to get properly registered. Georgia also has an ongoing investigation into Veterans Trauma Support Network. 

The FTC and state law enforcement actions showcase the various ways that consumers are solicited. Charities and fundraisers sought donations online and via telemarketing, direct mail, door-to-door contact, and retail. The common theme was a false promise to help homeless and disabled veterans; provide veterans with employment counseling, mental health counseling, or other assistance; and send care packages to deployed service members. Officials charged veterans charities with using deceptive prize-promotion solicitations and targeted non-charities falsely claiming that donations would be tax-deductible. Some cases focused on veterans charities engaged in flagrant self-dealing to benefit individuals running the charity, and some alleged that fundraisers made misrepresentations on behalf of veterans charities or stole money solicited for a veterans charity. 

Operation Donate with Honor was developed by the FTC and the National Association of State Charity Officials, the association of state offices charged with oversight of charitable organizations and solicitations in the United States, which includes both Secretaries of State and Attorneys General. The initiative pairs enforcement actions with an education campaign in English and Spanish to help consumers recognize charitable solicitation fraud and identify legitimate charities. This effort includes a new video highlighting tips on how to research charities on giving wisely to veterans organizations. 

Secretary Kemp and Attorney General Carr encourage potential donors, regardless of where or how they choose to donate, to learn how to spot deceptive solicitations and make sure that their contributions actually benefit veterans and service members. Do not rely on a sympathetic-sounding name to make a donation. When donating to charity, among other things, ask questions, such as the charity’s name, website, and physical location. Ask how much of any donation will go to the charitable program that you want to support. Take a minute to search the charity’s name online with the word “scam” or “complaint.” See what other people say about it. Check out the charity’s ratings at the Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Watch, or Charity Navigator. Never pay with cash, a gift card, or by wiring money. Consider paying by credit card, which is the safest option for security and tax purposes.