An emotional testimonial about earthquake or hurricane victims would move many of us to offer cash donations. Fake relief workers are likely to target older Americans, hoping to capitalize on the compassion of those who grew up in the Depression. It's important for consumers to carefully screen charity solicitations. The scam artists undermine the many legitimate relief organizations that struggle to fund their operations. The federal government recognizes more than 500,000 charities seeking contributions.
Fake charities have plenty of room to hide.
Raise a red flag when a charity request is unsolicited or comes from an unfamiliar organization. If you're still interested, investigate further. A legitimate charity will provide its name, address, telephone number and details about how it will use your contribution. Ask for details. Many states require paid fund-raisers to identify themselves as such and to name the charity for which they are working.