Dec 23 2008
Charity Scams - A Holiday Nightmare
One of the scams that people tend to get caught up in more at this time of the year than at other times are those involving charitable organizations.
The way the scam works is pretty simple. Someone claiming to represent a charitable organization, real or imagined, asks for a donation. They get as many donations as possible, but the money is never given to the charity (if it even exitisted).
Some things to watch out for are:
How are you approached? Typically the more reputable charities will not go door to door or cold call on the telephone seeking donations. They will have drop boxes or other organizational methods.
If they do approach door to door, look for a uniform or identification as well as a phone number and address. Not every organization has uniforms or identification, but they will have an address and a phone number that can be called.
Ask to pay with your credit card. This may not always be possible, but if you can you do offer yourself some protection. The next best method would be a check that you can cancel if you need to.
Ask to pay later. A real charity won’t mind waiting a day or two or even a week to get the money that they need. A scammer will insist on being paid immediately.
Finally - just give to the charities you know and recognize. Go out and find the charities that you know and give without being asked. You can always tell the potential scammer that you already gave.
