According to the Giving USA Foundation, charity contributions totaled $307.65 billion (there’s that B word again!) with 75% coming from individual donors. If the good will and holiday cheer is combined with visions of tax incentives dancing in your head - some good hearted individuals will end up hurting if proper background research isn’t conducted!
In May, 2009, the FTC announced “Operation False Charity” in which 49 States and the District along with 61 Attorneys Generals, Secretaries of State and other law enforcement brought action against 32 fundraising companies, 22 non-profits and 31 individuals – one of which was an individual previously from Towson area. The sham non-profits and the aggressive fundraisers misdirected millions of charitable donations allegedly going to programs serving police, firefighters, military families and veterans.
Your BBB wants to help you give wisely by offering the following tips:
- Check out an organization before donating by going to Maryland’s Secretary of State and searching for their registration to solicit in Maryland and then using www.bbb.org and click on “check out a charity”.
- Donate to charities with a track record and a history. Charities that spring up overnight may disappear just as quickly.
- Do not send or give cash donations. It’s best to pay with a check made payable to the charity. Be sure to ask for a receipt showing the amount of your contribution.
- The most common “charity scams” are conducted through email and telephone solicitation. Do NOT succumb to hard pressure tactics nor respond with money to an email solicitation. Validate the authenticity of the charity, understand the cause, and write a check ONLY after you have done your homework.
We encourage you to give wisely, to give locally, and to give all you can – just give it to the real thing! For more information on local and national charities, visit http://www.bbb.org/us/Charity-Standards/. And, if you have benefited from your BBB this year, consider making a donation by clicking on www.bbb.org. Thanks to you all – and to all, a happy holiday! Talk soon - Angie
