Everyone wants to do well in life. There are several ways you can do that and many people like to donate their money or time to different charities. Before you hand over your hard-earned cash, here are some things to look out for to make sure you are not being scammed by a charity.
First, find out what the correct name of the charity is and do some research on that charity. They should have information available to you. Most charities will bend over backwards if they find out that you may be donating to them. Do not be afraid to ask questions if you are able to meet with someone from the charity. Going to www.give.org/reports/index.asp is a great way to find all of the information you need on the charity and their operations.
Second, ask where your money will be going before writing a check. Do not give to charities where the money goes to executive salaries and other administrative costs. If they are not willing to send your written materials, do not give your time or money. You usually want to give to charities that have a specific program opportunity in mind. These charities will happily sit down with you or provide you with their budgets.
Third, do not ever donate to a charity that is demanding cash, your bank account number, or credit card number. If they are using tactics to pressure you into donating, they have something up their sleeve. Do not be afraid to say no or not now.
Fourth, if you get a letter or email saying you have won this or that, throw away the letter or put the email in your trash. Usually those letters are scams to get personal information from you. If you did not enter a contest, do not respond.