Scenario: You make a donation to the police, fire department, disabled children, or other worthy causes.
Scam: Most or all of your money ends up in someone’s pocket instead of going to the charity.

	When you are approached by an unfamiliar charity, don't make an immediate decision. Get written information about the charity and check it out before giving a donation.
	Ask for the name of the charity, the address, and the phone number. Find out if the solicitor is an employee of the charity or a paid fundraiser. Get the person's name and, if it's a professional fundraiser, his or her address.
	Ask exactly how donations will be used. What percentage goes to overhead? If it's a professional fundraiser, how much does that person get? What percentage will actually be used for the services that the charity provides?
	Be wary of solicitations that purport to be for police or fire fighters. Con artists often make up names of phony police or fire associations. Even if solicitors are really raising money for police or fire departments, it's possible that only a tiny percentage of the funds will actually go to them. Call your local police or fire department to find out if it recognizes the charity and how it will benefit from your donation.
	Sometimes official-looking police or fire decals are provided in return for contributions. However, these decals don't really prevent you from being stopped for traffic violations or entitle you to special services.
	If the solicitation is to sponsor a circus, show, or some other event for children, ask how many children will be invited and where they are coming from. Verify the arrangements with the children's program or facility involved.
	Anti-drug campaigns are also sometimes used as a pitch for fraudulent charities. If materials are to be provided to schools or other children's programs, contact them directly to confirm the information.
	Con artists take advantage of hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, bombings or other disasters to solicit donations for phony charities. Check to ensure that your contribution is really going to help people in dire need.
	In most states, charities and paid fundraisers must be licensed or registered. Contact your state attorney general to find out what is required and how you can check on the status of the charity or fundraiser. Remember that donations are not tax-deductible if the organization does not have the required tax status.
	The Better Business Bureau's Philanthropic Advisory Service and the National Charities Information Bureau can provide information about charities and how the donations they collect are used.
	Don't give cash. Legitimate charities will take a check, and some even accept credit cards.
	If you want to help your community, contact local police and fire departments, schools, senior centers, and other programs in the area directly to determine their needs and offer your assistance.
	Report suspicious charitable solicitations to law enforcement authorities and the Better Business Bureau.

If you need advice about a solicitation or you want to report a possible scam, call the NFIC hotline at 1-800-876-7060. You can also ask questions or report fraud using our online forms.

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