Kristian Fors, a Los Angeles County resident and researcher at the California-based Independent Institute, says locals are wondering where their tax dollars will go as officials struggle to control the devastating fires.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is warning fire victims and other Californians to be on the lookout for price gouging and other scams as many scammers may try to take advantage of the crisis.
Bonta and other local leaders offered some advice to ensure victims don’t fall victim to any scams as they rebuild their lives after the flames destroyed more than 12,300 homes and buildings and left at least 24 dead. They also offered advice on how people can properly verify and donate to charity to help victims in need.
“Unfortunately, we have seen before that emergencies like this, in addition to bringing out the best in so many, also bring out bad actors who seek to use the trauma, the chaos of such moments for their own gain. They see an opportunity to pray and take advantage,” Bonta said during a press conference on Saturday.
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Bonta was joined by Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell, State Senator Sasha Renee Perez and Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo during the press conference to help in sharing important information about the crisis, including how to stay safe. This includes being wary of fraudulent charity claims and funding from people who may claim to help victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.
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“Well-intentioned or otherwise, the charity and crowdfunding sites formed overnight in response to this crisis may lack the experience, contacts and staff needed to respond to a disaster, or may be fraudulent,” the office said. Bonta in a statement.
Here are tips from Bonta and other local leaders:
- Verify all licenses, certifications and reviews for contractors, regulators and charities. Fire victims can check with the State Contractors Licensing Board to find licensed contractors.
- Do not pay large sums in advance for services or promises of assistance.
- Use only official channels to verify government representatives or relief efforts.
- Regularly review financial accounts and credit reports for suspicious activity.
- Report suspected scams to local law enforcement or go to oag.ca.gov/report.
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Plumes of smoke are seen as a brush fire burns in Pacific Palisades, California, on January 7, 2025. (DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)
How to donate properly:
- Californians should take their time to research before they give.
- Confirm that the charity is registered on the Attorney General’s Register of Charities and Fundraisers and is up to date with its financial reporting by searching the Attorney General’s Register Search Tool, which can be found here.
- Before donating, review how much the charity spends directly on the charitable cause and how much goes to overhead and employee compensation.
- If you are not familiar with the charity, contact them and ask for written information about how they plan to support victims of the fire. You must also confirm its name, address and non-profit charity status.
- If you are planning to donate through a social network request or via online platforms, first see if the money will go to a charity, to the platform or to a person who created the request. Additionally, find out what percentage of your donation goes to charity or a charitable purpose and whether you will be charged a fee.
- If you receive a call from a telemarketer, ask for the name of the fundraiser, whether it is registered with the Attorney General’s Office, the name of the charity benefiting from the request, how much of your donation will go to the charity and how much to the telemarketer, and the phone number directly to the charity.
A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire as it burns homes on the Pacific Coast Highway amid a powerful windstorm on January 8, 2025 in Los Angeles. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images/Getty Images)
- Be wary of fake organizations. Fraudsters may use names that closely resemble those of well-established charities to deceive donors.
- Watch out for fraudulent websites that have a slightly different web address (URL) to that of a legitimate charity. Fraudulent sites may ask you for personal information or install harmful material on your device.
- Be skeptical if someone thanks you for a promise you never made, and always check your records.
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- Being a non-profit organization does not mean that the organization is tax exempt or that your donation is tax deductible. Just because an organization has a “Tax ID Number” or provides donors with a receipt that says “keep this receipt for your records” does not mean that the organization is a charitable or tax-exempt organization, or that your donation it is tax deductible. You can verify your charity’s tax-exempt status using the tools and information located on the IRS website.
- Do not provide your social security number or other personal information in response to a charity request.
- Never give credit card information to an organization you do not know. Some organizations sell or rent their donor lists to other organizations, including non-charities. To protect yourself, you should review the charity’s privacy policy to find out if your information will be shared with outside companies.
