HARTFORD — Attorney General William Tong on April 20 warned Connecticut residents to be wary of text message scams pretending to sell merchandise benefiting local fire departments.

Over the holiday weekend, at least eight Connecticut fire departments and companies reported that residents had received text messages purporting to be from the fire department or company advertising and selling discounted fire department merchandise.

“Scammers take advantage of generous and good-hearted people who just want to help. Do not fall for their tactics,” Tong said. "f you receive one of these messages or any solicitations for a donation or purchase, do your homework first. Take your time and verify that the organization is legitimate and that your donation is going where you think it is.”

Fire departments in Harwinton, Killingworth, Seymour and Newtown issued alerts over the weekend warning residents that these messages were scams and to ignore them. Newtown Hook & Ladder posted a note on its social networks last weekend reminding followers that their members do not solicit via text message. Hawleyville Volunteer Fire issued a similar statement on its Facebook page.

Tong reminds everyone: if an unsolicited text message or phone call with a link asking for a donation or requesting a purchase is received, do not click the link. Delete the message immediately.

If the message says it comes from an organization the recipient is familiar with, such as a local fire department, call the non-emergency line and verify that they are indeed seeking donations or selling merchandise, said the attorney general.

More Tips For Giving Safely

*Do homework. Before making a charitable donation, make sure the person is really with the company they say they are with, and have them state specifically what the donation will be used for. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, or Guidestar are good resources for verifying a charity is legitimate.

*Charities soliciting in Connecticut must be registered with the Department of Consumer Protection. Registration can be verified by visiting elicense.ct.gov.

*Don’t be pressured. Do not donate if the solicitor uses high-pressure tactics, asks for payment in cash or insists on sending someone to pick up a donation.

*Be careful when giving out personal information or credentials. Sometimes donors are required to make an account with their personal information in order to give to a charity. Those accounts can be compromised, and personal information can be stolen.

*If making a tax-deductible donation is important, use the Exempt Organizations Select Tool at IRS.gov to find qualified charities. Only donations to qualified charitable organizations are tax-deductible. Once a donation is made, be sure to get a receipt for the contribution.

*Keep records of donations. If donating by credit card, check statements closely to make sure only what was agreed upon was taken from the account connected to the credit card.

*Connecticut residents may report charity-related fraud by contacting the Office of the Attorney General at attorney.general@ct.gov or 860-808-5318.