Here’s how to avoid falling victim to charity scams this holiday season

PITTSBURGH — It’s the holiday season, which means many people are donating to charity this time of year. However, not every charity is legitimate.

Charity scams become more prominent this time of year.

“The holiday season brings out the spirit of giving, and Pennsylvanians have always done their part,” Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said. “Sadly, every year criminals try to take advantage of generous people by conning them into giving to a group or person that is not a legitimate, registered charity.”

Here are some red flags of potential charity scams:

Similar-sounding name: Scammers often use names that sound similar to legitimate charities to intentionally create confusion.
High-pressure solicitation: Fraudsters will try to force a hasty decision by turning up the pressure. They may cold call you, identify you as a previous contributor, and ask for your renewed support or to update your credit card information. These attempts rely on catching consumers off guard to extract financial information.
100% guarantee: Most people want to ensure that their donations are going toward legitimate program expenses. Every organization has some level of administrative cost, which can include mailing and printing, rent and utilities, staff or fundraising. An organization that promises that 100% of your funds are going directly to an individual in need might require additional scrutiny.
Request for donation by wire transfer: Legitimate charities will not ask you to make payment via money order or wire transfer. If you are being solicited for a donation and are asked to pay by these means, hang up immediately.
Request for donation by gift card: A charity may ask for donations of gift cards, such as from a grocery store, to supply to someone in need, but you should never read the information from a gift card over the phone or provide it via email. After verifying the legitimacy of the charity, take any physical gift card donation directly to the location of the charity and request documentation of your contribution.

“The Department of State offers useful tips on charitable giving to protect people from being taken advantage of,” Schmidt said. “I’m urging all donors to review the following tips and recommendations before donating this year.”

Before donating to charity this year:

Visit the Department of State’s online charities database to verify that an organization is registered to solicit in Pennsylvania and to see its basic financial information about expenses for program services, fundraising and management.
Check to see if an organization has been subject to corrective action by the Department of State’s Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations by checking the Department’s enforcement and disciplinary actions page.
Verify whether an organization is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt organization.
Groups such as the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator and CharityWatch offer information and ratings about charitable organizations.
Don’t feel pressured to donate on the spot. Do research before sharing your money or information.
Check websites closely. Charity scams can be vehicles for identity theft by directing victims to fake websites where personal and financial information can be stolen.
Direct your payment to the charity. Never make a check payable to an individual; write the check to the verified organization.

If you believe you have been the victim of a charity scam, contact the Department of State’s Division of Charities Investigation Unit/Audits at RA-STBEICIU@pa.gov.

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