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03-19-2008, 05:16 AM
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Charitable Scams
One of the biggest scams in the name of charities was done at the time when the Katrina Hurricane struck in 2005. While people were still mulling over the loss caused due to the hurricane, several other scams sprung up that contributed in increasing the agonies of the helpless people. Some of the scams that resulted due to the Katrina Hurricane scam were:
• Phishing and Religious scams • Viruses and Trojans • Variants of the Nigerian fee scam • Investment and Security scam • Misleading email scams trying to sell unrelated products • Requests for individual donations to help their family members • Website and Credit Card scams • Scammers posing as officials from government agencies, banks and insurance companies Top 10 Tips to Spot Charitable Fraud At times fake charity scams set up quasi-legitimate agencies that contain ID in the name of the charity along with the logo, which often makes it difficult to spot charity scams. However, here are some useful tips to spot charity scams: • To avoid being tricked into giving charitable donations, establish an annual charitable giving plan at the beginning of each year. • Ask for name, address and phone number of the charity and whether or not it is legally registered. • Verify with the office of the charity that there is indeed a campaign going on. • Avoid donating cash as far as possible. Instead, write a check to the charity. • Ask what percentage of your donation goes directly to the cause. • Do not forget to get a receipt with the name of the charity on it. • Be especially cautious about getting a charity donation request by email since, most legitimate charities don’t use emails for solicitations. • Never respond to an emotional plea from a caller appealing for funds to help victims of natural disasters or wars. • Do not give in to pressure or ‘guilt trips’ about ‘suggested donations’ or ‘requested minimum contributions’. • If you still suspect fraud or have questions about a solicitation, just contact your State Attorney General’s Office or Secretary of State’s Office. 
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