Getting a request to donate to a charity? Before you give, make sure your hard-earned money is going to the intended cause, according to AARP Virginia.
Unfortunately con artists will try to take advantage of your good nature and pressure you to make contributions to their scam charities. Before you donate, first follow these tips:
Watch out for charities with names that sound similar to well-known organizations. Never give payment information to an unsolicited caller or email.
Do not pay in cash—donate by credit card or check made payable to the charity.
Do your research by contacting your state’s charity regulator or consulting a charity rating organization such as charitynavigator.org.
Don’t feel bad about saying “no” to charitable requests if you are not comfortable with them.
Be a fraud fighter. If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.
Visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at http://www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetworkor call AARP Fraud Watch Helpline at 1-877-908-3360 and speak to a volunteer specially trained in spotting scams.
With more than 1 million members in Virginia, AARP is the largest organization working on behalf of people age 50+ and their families in the Commonwealth.
To learn more about AARP Virginia, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aarpvirginia and follow @AARPVa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aarpva.
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 38 million members and offices in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and advocate for what matters most to families with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation’s largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.
