A pedestrian walks previous a seal of the Division of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation on the J. Edgar Hoover FBI constructing in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 15, 2022.
(Mandel Ngan / AFP through Getty Photographs)
Because the 2024 election heats up, campaigns and political organizations and candidates might be scrambling to lift cash for every part from presidential candidates to packages to assist veterans and defend the surroundings. Beware, nonetheless, that rip-off artists trying to line their pockets might be lurking among the many legit federal political motion committees.
The FBI has seen a rise in these fraudulent PACs and is warning people to be on high alert. If you’re solicited for a political donation by a political group, the Federal Bureau of Investigation recommends you do the next:
- Go to the Federal Election Commission’s website (fec.gov) and search the group’s identify to see if the PAC is registered. If it’s not registered, it’s unlawful.
- The FEC web site additionally consists of stories filed by PACs that present how they spend their cash. Examine to see what distributors they’re utilizing. “Usually, in a rip-off PAC, you will notice the distributors are additionally related to the operators. That must be a purple flag. Equally, should you see the identical operator working a number of PACs, that may be an indicator of a rip-off,” the FBI warns.
- If a bunch asking for cash has a reputation much like a separate, well-known or established group, be suspicious.
- Additionally, the FBI warns it’s unlawful to take cash from one other individual and donate it to a candidate or PAC underneath your identify. So don’t try this.
On the whole, if it doesn’t really feel proper, don’t donate cash.
Supply: www.latimes.com