Beware of Holiday Charity Scams!

Don’t get taken by holiday charity scams during the Christmas season! Here are some great tips to help keep the scammers at bay from Cathy DeWitt Dunn on KRLD Radio.

Compassion is often taken advantage of during the holiday season. If you are thinking about donating any sum of money this holiday season to a charity, there are a few things you want to check before donating. First, be sure that the organization is a 501 (C) 3 organization, so you can get credit for your donation and ensure that it is tax deductible. You’ll also want to be sure that the company has a website, a physical address, an email address and a telephone number, so you can verify their identity.

If you don’t have any money set aside to give, you might consider donating your time instead. When donating your time, you can also have your travel expenses deducted at the end of the year.

The holiday season is the time for giving. Be generous, but be careful and beware of holiday charity scams!