Planet Antares Scam Solutions | Charity Scams Complaints
The requests seem innocent enough: a candy jar placed at the counter of a local business or a request from a charity you believe you’ve heard of. These are just two of the many charity-based scams that are victimizing people who want to help.
In the former case, a candy jar or donation box may solicit small change and indicate that the cash will be going to a particular organization. Because the donation box is on the counter at a trusted business, patrons assume that the business owner has checked out the charity. Most often, this isn’t the case, and small change can add up to a lucrative take each week, especially if the scammer has placed 10-12 donation boxes in an area.
Another popular ruse involves “sound-alike” charities: phony organizations that have a name similar to that of a well-known charity. These sound-alikes skim donations that unsuspecting donors believe will be used to support the well-known charity. In reality, the donations are pocketed and the scammers disappear.
To protect yourself from charitable fraud, here are a few tips provides by Dana Bashor Charity website:
If the charity solicits donations through a donation box on a store counter, ask the storeowner if s/he has researched the charity. Ask who placed the box and how often it is collected.
Check out the charity using a research site like charitywatch.org, or guidestar.org. Also check with your local Better Business Bureau to see if anyone else has complained about the charity.
Contact the charity that’s supposed to receive the donations. Ask if the charity is aware that donations are being solicited on its behalf through local merchants. Ask if the donations are turned over to the organization, and if so, how much has been given recently.
Research “sound-alike” charities carefully. Find out whether they’re registered with the IRS by looking them up using guidestar.org or charitywatch.org. One caveat: some groups that are affiliated with a church don’t need to register, as long as the IRS recognizes the church itself as a charitable organization. If a group claims to be part of a church, contact the church to verify the connection.
Avoid making charitable donations in cash. If you want to support a charity, it’s best to write a check or make a donation by credit card.
Don’t give your Social Security Number to a charity, even if they request it. There’s no reason for a legitimate charity to need your SSN.
Read more about charitable giving scams from planet antares scam alerts.
