All too frequently the elderly are the victims of charitable fraud. If you’re a relative or caretaker of an older American, please take a moment to review the following tips. These easy-to-follow precautions can help ensure seniors contribute only to legitimate and efficient charities.Tips for Older Donors Who Want to Give
- Don’t succumb to pressure tactics.
Well-run charities don’t use pressure tactics to garner support for their mission. They don’t have to. Their good work and financial health speaks for itself. - Verify their claims that you’ve contributed in the past.
If a caller or an appeal letter indicates that you’ve given in the past, but it doesn’t sound familiar to you, be sure to check it out for yourself. Look up previous entries in your checkbook or past credit card bills and confirm for yourself that you’ve supported this particular charity before. - Do not feel compelled to give because you received a gift.
Just because you received some mailing labels, cards or an umbrella, that doesn’t mean you’re required to reciprocate with a donation. Be especially wary of sweepstakes that require a contribution to enter. Again, a reputable charity doesn’t need to employ such inefficient and deceptive fundraising tactics. - Be careful of imposters.
Scam artists often use sound-alike names to trick you into thinking they represent a legitimate charity. - Hang up the phone.
Ask the fundraiser to send you written information about the charity they represent, hang up the phone and do some research on your own. Once you feel comfortable with the charity, send the organization a check directly in the mail, thus ensuring 100% of your gift goes to the charity and not the for-profit fundraiser. - Make sure that your donation is tax-deductible.
Before giving a donation to any organization, make sure it is a 501(c)(3) charity. That means the group has filed paperwork with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), registering it as a U.S. nonprofit and enabling its contributors to take a tax-deduction for their gifts. A quick way to confirm the organization’s status is to check with us. All the charities evaluated by Charity Navigator are 501 (c) (3) entities. - Research the charity before you give.
Take a look at the organization’s finances. Make sure it is able to direct at least 75% of its budget on the programs and services it exists to provide. With a million nonprofits in America, you should have no problem finding one that matches your philanthropic interests and will put your donation to good use. - Send your donation directly to the charity.
Never divulge your personal or credit card information to those initiating contact. Once you’ve done your research, send your contribution directly to the charity you wish to support. Don’t send cash as it can be lost or stolen. Also, you’ll want to have paid by check or credit card so you have a receipt of your donation when it comes time to take the tax-deduction. - Tell the charity not to share your personal information.
When you send a charity a small donation- say $10 or $25- there is a high probability that the organization will then sell or trade your contact information with other charities. The next thing you know, your mailbox is overflowing with solicitations. Often older Americans get caught up in this vicious cycle because they respond with a small donation to each new appeal full of heartbreaking photos. To prevent this from happening, tell the charity upfront that you do not want it to share your personal information with any other entity. At Charity Navigator each of our charity evaluations includes an assessment of the charity’s willingness to enable you to opt-out of such practices.
From www.charitynavigator.org