Do not give cash. Legitimate charities will take a check.
	Do not succumb to pressure. No legitimate organization will insist that you contribute immediately.
	Do not give to unregistered charities. Check with your State Department of Justice/Attorney General's Office Charities Division to see if your state requires registration. If it does, check the charity out.
	Be careful of pledges you don't remember making. If you have doubts, check your records.
	Be careful not to give personal information such as your social security number or mother's maiden name to anyone soliciting over the phone.
	Recognize false claims of tax-deductability. Ask for written proof of tax-exempt status.
	Never give out your checking account number or credit card number to anyone you don't know soliciting for a charity over the phone. Ask for an address and offer to send a check.
	Check with the National Charities Information Bureau to make sure that the charity is abiding by certain ethical and financial standards.
	If the solicitation is for a law enforcement charity, ask your local or state police if they've ever heard of the group. If they haven't, chances are it's not real.
	Ask how much of your donation is going to the charity. Even if professional fundraisers are truly soliciting for a charity, they may be keeping most of the donations as fees. It's often better to give directly to support charities and public services in your area.

If you need advice about a telephone 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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