Use common sense when responding to relief efforts

  • Published
  • By Maj. Steven Dubriske
  • 71st Flying Training Wing
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  If you watch any television at all, you know the local, national and international support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina has been overwhelming.
From huge corporate donations to small contributions from children in base housing selling candy, the call for assistance from those in need generally brings out the best in us as human beings.
Unfortunately, the generosity shown by most people is also seen as a golden opportunity by thieves and con-artists. For this reason, fraudulent activities associated with charitable donations always follow natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and the Indonesian tsunami.
The purpose of this commentary is not to scare you into closing your pocketbook to those in need. On the contrary, it is my hope that by borrowing liberally from ideas promoted by the Federal Trade Commission, I can give you three common sense tips on charitable giving that will cause more of your donations to actually make it to people in need.
First, a good consumer protection practice is to never respond to charitable requests received via e-mail. Personal and financial information -- including your Social Security or credit card numbers -- should never be given to anyone who solicits a contribution from you through electronic media. While some electronic charities are legitimate, many that have sprung up overnight are fraudulent, and created for the sole purpose of trying to capitalize on a catastrophic situation. Donors should always be skeptical of charities with names that sound similar to nationally known organizations as many fraudulent on-line charities like to use names that sound like those of respected, legitimate organizations.
Second, donors can research charitable organizations prior to giving a donation to see if they are valid charities. The Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance Web site (www.give.org) provides donors with one good way of checking out whether a charity is legitimate. Legitimate fund-raisers will generally not push you to give on the spot if you ask them to provide you with information about their charity. In fact, a legitimate charity will always give you information about the charity's mission and how your donation will be used if you request it. If you feel you are being subjected to high pressure sales tactics by the organization, it is prudent to decline the donation request until you can research the charity and its mission.
Finally, a donor should always avoid giving cash gifts. Cash is too easily misappropriated by fraudulent organizations and cannot be traced by law enforcement authorities. For security and tax record purposes, you should contribute by check or credit card. Furthermore, if you contribute by check, write the official name of the charity on your check.
By taking these three simple steps, an individual can minimize the risk their heartfelt donation will end up supporting a thief instead of someone desperately in need of charitable support. If you believe you have received a solicitation from a charity that is not above board, there are avenues for donors to file a complaint. The easiest method is to file an on-line complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.consumer.gov/sentinel/.