Most citizens are willing to donate to charity organizations but are skeptical about the beneficiaries of their donations. Fake public charities are in the habit of pocketing the donations instead of channeling them to the needy. This is very disheartening to donors since they feel fleeced. To stop this trend, there is need for donors to verify the activities and existence of these charitable organizations before making their contributions. Here is a checklist that will help you establish the credibility of a charity.
Ask the fundraiser to provide details of their aim, mission or course to which they are fundraising. There are reasons that will make it clear that an organization is not genuine. An example is where a charity fundraises for a disaster that does not exist. If the mission or course given is not convincing enough, you should decline the invitation.
Donations to charity are usually exempt from tax. Organizations receive details to be forwarded to donors so that they can make claims when filing their tax returns. If the fundraiser does not provide such details, or is hesitant, it is likely that the intention is fake or there is a plan to divert the money. Avoid making a contribution because you will be forced to still pay taxes.
There are charities that settle for names that sound or appear similar to those of popular humanitarian organizations. This is one of the tactics used in defrauding donors. Close resemblance is used to hoodwink donors who are not too keen on the name. Since this is a cause for alarm, the best thing is to verify the existence of such an organization. This is one of the clearest signs of fraud.
A fundraiser should never push you to contribute in a hurry. This only happens when the agent does not want you to question his mission or realize that something is wrong with the campaign. You are likely to fall for the trick especially when money is readily available. Do not give into pressure. Hold on until such a time when you can ascertain that the deal is genuine. This will prevent your money from going to the wrong beneficiaries.
There are organizations that claim to be years old in charity yet have nothing tangible to show for their existence. Pick the name and check online for news about their activities and existence. Should there be any doubts, halt any donation action. At least a few success stories and the latest photographic evidence is a reasonable threshold.
The government regulates and sanctions all charity organizations. The licensing bodies provide their details on their websites for public access and verification. You should check the administrators responsible for these organizations and the activities they are sanctioned to undertake. This will indicate whether they are genuine and reliable or not. Since the details are available online, you can verify them anytime.
With the existence of online and SMS verification options, it is now easy to ascertain the credibility of a charity organization. Should you encounter a fundraiser who is not willing to disclose organization details, you have every reason to hesitate. Inform law enforcement agencies so that action is taken to avoid loss of donor funds through false pretence.
Ask the fundraiser to provide details of their aim, mission or course to which they are fundraising. There are reasons that will make it clear that an organization is not genuine. An example is where a charity fundraises for a disaster that does not exist. If the mission or course given is not convincing enough, you should decline the invitation.
Donations to charity are usually exempt from tax. Organizations receive details to be forwarded to donors so that they can make claims when filing their tax returns. If the fundraiser does not provide such details, or is hesitant, it is likely that the intention is fake or there is a plan to divert the money. Avoid making a contribution because you will be forced to still pay taxes.
There are charities that settle for names that sound or appear similar to those of popular humanitarian organizations. This is one of the tactics used in defrauding donors. Close resemblance is used to hoodwink donors who are not too keen on the name. Since this is a cause for alarm, the best thing is to verify the existence of such an organization. This is one of the clearest signs of fraud.
A fundraiser should never push you to contribute in a hurry. This only happens when the agent does not want you to question his mission or realize that something is wrong with the campaign. You are likely to fall for the trick especially when money is readily available. Do not give into pressure. Hold on until such a time when you can ascertain that the deal is genuine. This will prevent your money from going to the wrong beneficiaries.
There are organizations that claim to be years old in charity yet have nothing tangible to show for their existence. Pick the name and check online for news about their activities and existence. Should there be any doubts, halt any donation action. At least a few success stories and the latest photographic evidence is a reasonable threshold.
The government regulates and sanctions all charity organizations. The licensing bodies provide their details on their websites for public access and verification. You should check the administrators responsible for these organizations and the activities they are sanctioned to undertake. This will indicate whether they are genuine and reliable or not. Since the details are available online, you can verify them anytime.
With the existence of online and SMS verification options, it is now easy to ascertain the credibility of a charity organization. Should you encounter a fundraiser who is not willing to disclose organization details, you have every reason to hesitate. Inform law enforcement agencies so that action is taken to avoid loss of donor funds through false pretence.
About the Author:
Find a list of the advantages you get when you support public charities and more info about a reputable charity organization at http://tableofplentyhmb.org/board-of-directors today.
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