Provided by the Bucks County Department of Consumer Protection:
Q: Recently, I have received multiple phone calls from a charity requesting a donation. They seem like a worthy charity, but I do not know much about them. How can I make sure they are a legitimate charity? – M.F., New Hope
Advertisements
A: With so many different charities these days it can be difficult to recognize a legitimate charity from the fraudsters who want to take advantage of your generosity. Here at Bucks County Consumer Protection, our golden rule on charitable giving is that you should never give to a charity that you know very little about, or about which there’s little information available. It is so very important for consumers to do their homework before giving to a charity. There are many online research tools that can help consumers educate themselves and ensure that their donations are being used in the manner they intended them to be. A good place to start would be the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Charitable Organizations; PA law requires most charities and professional solicitors to register with the Bureau of Charitable Organizations. Consumers can check the registration status of a charity, professional solicitor or professional fundraising counsel on the Bureau’s Charities Online Database which is www.charities.pa.gov, or by calling the Bureau at (717) 783-1720 or toll-free at (800) 732-0999.
Another online charity vetting tool is the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, which is a website that provides information on nationally soliciting charities and publishes scam alerts regarding fraudulent charity activity and solicitations. The Better Business Bureau also allows consumers to complain about a misleading or fraudulent charity they fell victim to. The BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance can be reached at (703) 276-0100, by email at give@council.bbb.org, or on the web at www.give.org
Finally, finding information online on local community fund raising organizations or charities may be difficult, as they are not required by law to register with the PA of State, Bureau of Charitable Organizations. Therefore, if a donation request comes from a local community fund raising organization- for instance, those organizations that raise money for local veterans, Police chiefs/fire fighters associations, and other designated volunteer groups- the best way to find out if they are legitimate charities or just scammers looking to make a quick buck is to call the local group directly and ask if they are currently soliciting donations and whether they have authorized the organization in question to handle the fundraising. It is also important to note that if you are contacted by a third party solicitor raising money for a local organization, you can contact that local organization directly if interested in making a donation. Cutting out the third party, fund raising solicitor will give you more bang for your buck and ensure that your money is used as you intended it to be.
Advertisements
For additional informational brochures & consumer tips feel free to visit our web page:
www.buckscounty.org/government/CommunityServices/ConsumerProtection/ConsumerTips
