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Charitable Complaints: Where to Take Your Donating Concerns

Nothing in the world is quite as rewarding as writing a check to your favorite charity. With so many well meaning and effective charitable organizations and not for profit groups in the world today, it is easier than ever before to find a charitable organization you can donate to with an easy mind and full heart. However, we have all been warned about charity fraud.

There is nothing quite as ugly as the scenario of charity fraud. When you hear about it on television news reports and newspaper exposes, you all collectively cringe. Charity fraud is definitely an ongoing problem. So what can you do about it? Where do you turn to when you think you may be a victim of charity fraud? Here are some tips for making sure that you do not become a victim of charity fraud in the first place, and what you can do if you suspect you already have.

First, the best thing you can do is to make sure you do not become a victim to charity fraud in the first place. The easiest way to make sure that you don’t become a victim of charity fraud is to do your homework thoroughly before you donate. First, get your hands on the charitable organization’s financial information. If the charitable organization you are thinking of donating to is legitimate, they will be able to give you a copy of their IRS Form 990. This is a form that almost all charitable organizations are required to file with the IRS each year. It contains a lot of valuable information. An easier way of checking out a charitable organization is to research them using one of several free web services that does comparisons of charitable organizations and not for profit groups.

Always watch for suspicious behavior. Are you being contacted by phone? Phone solicitations have long been associated with charity fraud. Avoid giving over the phone or in any other situation where you cannot see written documentation about the charity. Be very suspicious of any organization that asks that you send your donation via courier or overnight service. Also, watch out for cash-only organizations that ask that you give your donation in cash. Avoid giving to cash jars you run across while shopping if you really want to stretch your charitable dollar. Although most of these are legitimate charities, studies have show that most small donations of these types only help cover the charities administrative costs.

How do you know if you are a victim of charity fraud? If you fail to receive any literature or receipts that were promised at the time of donation, you may be a victim. If the organization makes frequent solicitations over the phone and ignores requests to place you on a ‘do not call’ list, you may be a victim.

Where do you turn if you think you have been the victim of charity fraud? Unfortunately, in most cases of charity frauds, it is very difficult to get your money back. However, there are several places that you can turn to. Your first stop should be your state attorney general’s office. Your state attorney general is in charge of investigating consumer and charity fraud, as well as many other issues. You can also lodge a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Another place you may want to take your complaint to is your local consumer protection office, if you have one. Also, it definitely does not hurt to lodge a complaint with your local better business bureau. Taking your complaint to these sources is important in order to prevent that others will also fall victim to the same kind of charity fraud.