×

Check charities before giving

(Editor’s Note: The advice below is even more significant as many people and organizations are soliciting donations for the flood victims in south Texas who are now homeless from Hurricane Harvey. There is great need to help the thousands of people displaced by the storm … indeed, Harvey’s impact will be felt for a long time. However, be diligent in deciding who will receive your donation. Research before you give. Knowledge is power.)

By ART TAYLOR

Everyone has a cause they care about.

And with more than 1.2 million charitable organizations to choose from, finding one aligned with your values can be deeply rewarding.

While the vast majority of soliciting charities act responsibly and deserve your support, Americans must remember that not all organizations are created equal.

Case in point: In 2015, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), all 50 states, and the District of Columbia, charged four sham cancer charities with bilking donors of $187 million over a five-year period.

The New York Times reported these charity operators spent a significant portion of the money on personal expenses such as Caribbean cruises, college tuition, and trips to Disney World for themselves and their healthy families. And they hired fundraisers who often received 85 percent or more of collected funds.

Charity fraud has consequences.

Generous donors lose money, social issues stay unsolved, and the needful remain in need.

But it can be avoided-scams have common signs. If a charity solicits you, ask specific questions to get details; be on guard against aggressive fundraising tactics; and be cautious if they try tugging at your heartstrings. Above all, check them out using a charity evaluator, such as BBB’s Give.org, which help donors of all kinds decide which charities to trust with their donations.

So, when you’re donating, do it with peace of mind by taking the time to check out the charity first. It just might make all the difference.

(Art Taylor is president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau’s www.Give.org.)

While talking

about giving …

Scammers often target seniors by pretending to be representatives of insurance companies or healthcare companies.

Recently, the Better Business Bureau is seeing a new twist on this classic con: Calls from “Medicare” claiming to have your new back brace.

How the scam works: You pick up the phone, and it’s someone pretending to be a Medicare representative. From there, the con has two typical patterns. The scammer will either offer you a back brace through Medicare or claim that a caregiver previously called about receiving a back brace from Medicare.

If you show interest in the brace, the scammer will start asking for personal information, such as your Social Security number or a Medicare number to access the benefits. Don’t fall for these phony claims, even if the calls are persistent! The callers offer no company name and may even hang up on you if you ask for further company information.

Protect yourself from healthcare scams: Medicare should already have your basic information: If Medicare or another governmental organization contacts you, they should already have your name, address and other basic information. A call claiming you have been identified for an offer (but doesn’t have your name or other information) is probably blasted out to thousands of phone numbers.

Never share your Medicare number with an unsolicited caller.

Treat your Medicare number like your credit card info or other personal details. Do not share it with unsolicited callers.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $3.69/week.

Subscribe Today