[November 26, 2009] Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind., Hotline column: Hotline: Avoid scams when giving to charity Tweet Nov 26, 2009 (Herald-Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Hotline's holiday tips: charitable giving QUESTION: Since recently retiring to Indiana (Meadowood), I've been inundated with charity requests. Over the years, I've contributed to local, national and international responsible charities, but in the past two years, my mailbox has been stuffed with requests from unknown organizations. I've received calendars, coins, sob stories and note pads from places I've never heard of. Where on the Internet can I find impartial information about charities? Thanks. Your column and the weather diagrams are the first items I always look for. A.R., Bloomington ANSWER: Your question is timely, because the holiday season is a popular solicitation time for many nonprofit organizations. Hotline admits to a hometown bias when it comes to charitable giving, and if there is a particular local charity you are considering, Hotline encourages you to call the agency and request copies of annual reports and any other financial information they are willing to share. In addition, Guidestar and the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance maintain databases of information about thousands of charities on their Web sites (www.guidestar.org and www.bbb.org/us/charity). The Federal Trade Commission advises consumers to consider these precautions before giving to charity: Be wary of charities that pop up following natural disasters or current events. Ask for written information about the charity, including its mission, proof that donations are tax deductible, and how your donation will be used. Ask for contact information, and confirm with the charity that the solicitation is legitimate. If you are called, ask if the person is a paid fundraiser. Do not give your personal information to anyone over the phone unless you verify the caller's identity and connection with the organization. (The best way to do this is to call the organization back, or ask the caller to send information by mail.) Watch out for similar sounding names. Some phony charities use names that closely resemble those of other organizations. Know the difference between "tax exempt" -- meaning the organization doesn't have to pay taxes -- and "tax deductible," meaning you can deduct your contributions. Just because an organization has a "tax ID number" doesn't mean you can deduct your contribution. If they say you've made a prior contribution, check your records to be sure. Be wary of charities offering to send a courier or overnight delivery service to collect your donation immediately. Beware of promises of guaranteed sweepstakes winnings in exchange for a contribution. Federal law provides that you do not have to make a donation to be eligible to win a sweepstakes. Do not send cash, which can be lost or stolen. For security purposes, it's best to pay by check, made payable to the charity, not the solicitor. If you are giving online, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the status bar or a URL that begins "https." Want more Hotline? For more tips and bulletins and the Hotwire blog, visit HeraldTimesOnline.com/pages/hotline. Hotline is also on Twitter.com (search "HTHotline"). Write to Hotline, c/o The Herald-Times, P.O. Box 909, Bloomington, IN 47402, or e-mail [email protected], using "Hotline Inquiry" as the subject line. Include name, city and phone number. We cannot answer all inquiries. To see more of the Herald-Times or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/. Copyright (c) 2009, Herald-Times, Bloomington, Ind. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]