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MAGNOLIA CLIPPING SERVICE(601) S560!1'11 I (/05) lSR-R610RICHTON DISPATCH

RICHTON, MS CIIUil,lf1UII::: 11:19

WEEKLY12103/2009

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-Holiday / Jcharity 'scamsWwith the holiday seasonupon us, many good-willedindividuals express theirgenero"i ty by giving to thoseless fortunate,Unfortunately, that canalso create an opportunityfor scam artists to takeadvantag" of the kindn,lSs ofothers, I t is important tomake certain your g e n D r o s i ~ is r t ~ c e i v c d by t.hose whoneed it most. So when givingthis holiday season remember to usc your }wad, as wellas your heart, by followingthe following tips: Look-alike charitiesWatch out li)r charities with

similar namC8 to w ( ! l l ~ k n o w n organizations. SOIllC scamartists try to trick people byusing names that makethem appear to be the sameas or comparable to validchnritips. Always investigntethe orgnnizntion prior toInaking a donalion. Look attheir w e b ~ d t m . , " Many n ( ) n ~ profi l web addres"os end in, ~ r g instead of .com.. Phone SCams Be cautious of charities that contact you over the phone. InNew York City, for example,there's a popular scam fromsolicitors who claim to represent the NYPD and relatedpulice fund raising o r g a n i z a ~ tions. Only the New YorkPolice Foundation can acceptsuch donations and they donot solicit via the telephone.Ask the solicitor for thecharity's mailing address sothat you can send tbem acheck directly. When incall the charity yourself and ask them if they'reaware of the solicitationsbeing done in their nume,

Know your charity .Many more organizationspush for donations during"the holidays. Research your"charity before making thed,,,,ision to donate. I f theyoffer you very little informathey may not be le!,oitimato. A legitimate charitywill give you informationdescribing its mission. howdonations are distributedand proofthut your contribution is tax deductible. How is your donationused? One of the mostimportant things to considerwhen making a charitableeontrihution is how much ofyour money actually goes tothe charitable cause. Mostcharities are required to reg-i s h ~ r and filo annual r'eport.'>showing how donations areused. You can ask how tofind this information at yourstate or local consumer protection agency_, Contribution collectors Individuals who go door-todoor or position themselvesin high traffic areas shouldbe carrying- proper credentials and identification.These individuals should beknowledgeable about the

organization and hu able tuprovide you with informativematerials about the charity.Ask for written informationand the solicitor's identification to validate the organization. ] ~ o r security and taxrecord purposes, it's important to pay by check whengiving a contribution andwrite the charity's o!lida!name on the check, Mail scallls . Holidaygreetings may not the onlything crowding your mailbox, This time of year, watchfor appeals for donations. Ifyou do not recognize thename of a particular charity,you can check out their legitimacy as well as their efficiency with your money atthe BBB Wise GivingAlliance website.www.give.org. l ~ l n a i l seaml" Bocal of mnaiJs t{cekiug chat/table contributions. Manyunsolicited messagesTeeeived through email arefraudulent. Do not respondto these emails as many ofthem ask you to send moneyto an otT-shore bank account,Additionally, a fraudulentcharity email may have anattachment, offering youmore information. Be aware,as many times these attachments eontain viruses. I t isalways important that anycharity-related emailinclude a link to an authorized website. You shouldalso be skeptical of any charity email or websit" thatrequires you to enter yousocial security number. Promised prizes- Be cautious of guaranteed sweepHtak(>oS winning;;,; in oxchnngcfor your eoutributioH,lllay not be the type of holidiiY'boift you are looking for.Fraudulent ' sweepstgkemailer!-! eneourage con:'sumers to return the apparent 'winning' entry alongwith a donation to the chari

nmned in the promotion.wording in the mailermakes it seem like the recipient is already a winner. Beskeptical if a solicitor thanksyou for a contribution youdon't rememher giving. Other options Instead ofdonating money to a charity,consider volunteering YOUTtime. Contributing your personal time to help others canmean much more than Aima check. You candonalD t.oy clothing ornonperishable food andmake it part of your holidaytradition. Adamant demands Refuse any high-pressurerequests for your contribution. Legitimate charitiesusually don't require peopleto give at a moment'g notice.An established charity willstill be willing to accept yourdonation, even if you takesome timo to rmwareh first.

http:///reader/full/www.give.orghttp:///reader/full/www.give.org