Be Suspicious of Phony Holiday Charities

During the holidays we are often bombarded with heart-breaking letters from charities who are begging us for money so they can help starving children around the world.  Often they are accompanied with photos of starving, lonely or sad children from other countries.  As much as we want to help, most of us have limited resources and can only give to one or two charities.  As a result, we want to make sure that the money we give goes to the best charities possible.  How can we know for sure that we are giving to a legitimate charity and not one that is little more than a scam?

Rules for Avoiding Charity Scams

Do not let phone callers pressure you into making a donation immediately.  Ask them to mail you more information so that you have time to think about it.

Give to well-known, reputable charities.  For example, make your donation to your local church, television station or food bank.  You may also want to donate to internationally recognized charities like the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, World Vision and UNICEF.  If someone in your family suffers from a chronic illness, you may want to donate to the charitable organization that is doing research into that illness.  Your doctor may be able to suggest a reputable charity to you.

Investigate the Charity

If you have any doubt at all that you are donating to a reputable charity, you may want to check them out before making a donation.  One way to do this is to contact the Wise Giving Alliance at the Better Business Bureau.

Take your time before making a donation so that you feel confident that the money you donate will be used for the purpose you intend.  If you regularly donate money to charities, you are certainly a person with a big heart. Don't let unscrupulous people hurt or disappoint you.  Take the time to make sure that what you are doing will really make a difference.

You may also want to read:

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Photo of child courtesy of www.morguefile.com