Remember, the reason to give to a charity is to further the organization's program activities, not to seek personal gain. Because government recognizes the value of charities, most contributions to recognized charities are tax-deductible. Authentic charities will state that contributions are tax deductible and often cite that status. Noncharities will use other meaningless terms in an attempt to confuse donors. Remember that these references are no substitute for true charitable tax-exempt status.
Charities have radically different missions, records of accomplishment rand rates of efficiency.
You should direct your giving to those organizations that meet your own program interest and standards of performance. Invest some effort in identifying worthwhile causes. The following are questions you should be able to answer before you give, so ask questions until you are satisfied. Most legitimate charities rely on modest contributions from a substantial number of contributors. The bogus charities are no different.