Avoiding Charity Scams – How to Make Sure Your Donation Counts

For residents considering making financial
donations to charities, you will need to do
your homework first
to ensure your dollars actually
go to legitimate organizations.

Sad to say, but large-scale
disasters tend to bring out charity scammers looking for any angle to separate donors from their money. Scammers know that in times of need, residents are particularly
vulnerable, and want to help their fellow San Diegans.

In order to ensure your charitable donation will be put to good use, keep these tips in mind:

1. If YOU are approached by a charity, particularly on the phone, be wary. Who is really calling you? How do you know? It is far better for YOU to seek out charities you are familiar with, ones with proven track records, for your donation.

2. If you do speak to a phone solicitor, listen very carefully to the name of the charity. Scam charities will often choose names, which sound similar to established charities, or will sound very official – as if they are related to police or fire.

3. If you are still interested in making a charitable donation, do not make the commitment over the phone: ask the charity to mail you a brochure or other documentation telling you who they are, what their goal or mission is, and how your donation will be spent. Once you have all the facts, then you can make your donation decision.

4. Do not give cash. Cash is untraceable; do you really know where it is going? If you do write a check, make the check payable to the name of the charity – not the individual soliciting you. Do not provide your credit card number.

5. If the charity offers to send a "runner" over to your home to pick up your donation, particularly your cash donation, be wary. Legitimate charities generally do not do this.

6. If the charity pressures you, tells you to donate "immediately," or uses harassing language – do not donate. Legitimate charities should not pressure you or use aggressive or harassing techniques.

7. An excellent source of
information regarding national charities is the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance found at www.give.org.

With these tips in mind, San Diegans interested in helping can feel more confident in knowing their charitable donations will
truly go to help those in need.

Issued by Cindy D. Davis,
San Diego County Bar Association, Nov. 6, 2003.