In this holiday season when many people may be faced with opportunities to give to a charity, Attorney General Betty D. Montgomery today encouraged Ohioans to be as wise as they are generous especially when contacted by professional solicitors. Most of that money did not go to the charities. Last year, those reports revealed that on average, only about 27 cents of every donated dollar went to charitable purposes the rest was retained by the for-profit solicitor. Ohioans need to be aware that there may be more effective ways to support local charities and the good work they do. The solicitor is not required by law to disclose this information, but if you ask, the solicitor must tell you this percentage or he s violating the law.
Some unscrupulous organizations use sound-alike names to convince people to give.
State law requires every professional solicitor soliciting in Ohio to be registered with our office. With few exceptions, any charity that hires a solicitor must also be registered. Find out how your donation will be used. It may be an illegal boiler room that moves from city to city in order to avoid detection by the police or other authorities. High-pressure sales tactics are used.