Idabel, OK (September 19, 2017)—On September 18th at 8:34 PM, the Museum received a report of an individual soliciting donations for its construction project. It was quickly confirmed the individual in question was not an official Museum representative. The public was informed shortly after and a police report was filed the next morning.
Please be aware that the Museum has not authorized anyone to ask for gifts on its behalf, aside from staff and board members. Moreover, the Museum does not, and will not, solicit funds on a door-to-door basis or through cold calling. Museum representatives do not engage in high-pressure, on-the-spot appeals. Nor does it send couriers to collect donations.
The Museum occasionally seeks out new donors in the form of Corporate Partners or through its Membership Program. If you are unsure as to whether or not you have been contacted by an official Museum representative, call (580) 286 – 3616 to verify their identity. The safest way to donate to the Museum is in person, with a trusted, well-known Museum representative such as the Director, on-site, or online at https://www.museumoftheredriver.org/give/.
The public should be wary of unsolicited phone calls or visits from strangers that ask for money in general. Brian Hendershot, Head of Communications and Outreach, has the following tips to avoid charity scams. First and foremost, never use the phone number provided to you to verify an organization’s credibility. Do not provide personal or financial information such as bank account numbers or social security numbers. Watch out for organizations whose names closely resemble respected, legitimate organizations. You should also be extremely wary of text messages, social media campaigns, or emails that try to direct you to donation links. Finally, avoid cash donations.
When in doubt, contact the organization and/or verify their credibility with organizations like the Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch or Guide Star. Reputable organizations will be happy to wait while you do your homework.