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Phony Charity Telemarketing Scams
Fake charities use telemarketing methods as well as email to try and bilk you out of your money by pretending to represent a well-known charitible cause.
No one wants to be the bad guy -- the selfish lout who can't spare a little change for the orphans of
September 11 or children who are cancer patients. But that doesn't mean you have to be a sucker. If
you want to give to charity, by all means, give away -- but check out the charity first.
Never give payment information to anyone calling you, claiming to be with a charity.
Ask them to send you paperwork on their organization. Then research the organization online and
with the Better Business Bureau to make sure it's legitimate -- and that you've got the right
contact information. For example, some phony charity scams are using the name of National Cancer
Society to cause confusion with the very real American Cancer Society to obtain your donations
or the National Heart Institute to cause confusion with the American Heart Institute. This may
sound simple but it diverts millions of dollars every year that might otherwise have gone to the
needy and sick.
Don't give in to pressure or hard sell tactics
If the charity representative pressures you to give immediately, get even more suspicious.
Legitimate charities withstand scrutiny, and never hesitate to prove they are who they
say they are. I never give money to people that solicit as a personal policy but I will, and do,
donate directly to charities that I trust either from reputation or investigation.
Related Charity Scam Links
www.charitywatch.org
www.charitynavigator.org
www.give.org
American Red Cross
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