{"id":296201,"date":"2010-12-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-12-02T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/guest-editorial-giving-safely-by-avoiding-holiday-scams\/"},"modified":"2010-12-02T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2010-12-02T08:00:00","slug":"guest-editorial-giving-safely-by-avoiding-holiday-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/guest-editorial-giving-safely-by-avoiding-holiday-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest editorial: Giving safely by avoiding holiday scams"},"content":{"rendered":"

The holiday season is an active time for giving from the heart to nonprofit organizations in need. However, con artists take advantage of the giving spirit of the holidays, making the season a time for fraud as well. Many trusting citizens, including seniors, are taken advantage of over the holiday season and become victims to deceptive charities. We\u2019ve put together some tips to help the general public avoid scams during the holiday gift-giving season. You shouldn\u2019t be afraid to “kick the tires” to determine the legitimacy of an organization asking for your hard-earned money. On behalf of Senior Community Centers, here are some tips to ensure your donation is going to the right cause: \u00a0\u2022 Donate to charities that provide a physical street address. Ask for a tour or just show up unannounced. A reputable charity would be delighted to give you a tour on the spot. Be wary of an organization that only provides a post office box address. \u00a0\u2022 Do your homework. Browse the charity\u2019s website.\u00a0Do a Google search to see what comes up. Go to www.Guidestar.org to check out their rating and financials, including recent 990 forms, which are filed annually with the Internal Revenue Service.\u00a0 \u00a0\u2022 Ask questions. Do not be afraid to ask questions about the organization and how it is governed.\u00a0Ask about the organization\u2019s measurable goals and objectives, the success of its programs and the ways the charity spends its money. Request a copy of the organization\u2019s annual report. Any hesitancy on questions, particularly financial, should be viewed as a red flag.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u2022 Avoid phishing scams. Again, make sure you know the charity to which you donate. Ignore mail and e-mail from an organization you do not know. \u00a0\u2022 Do not be sold. All charities need money, but a charity should not try to “hard sell” you. If someone from an organization tells you that they need a donation today, don\u2019t be fooled. Any day is a good day to give. If you need more time to think about giving a donation or if you need more information, the charity should be willing and able to work with you. Once you have chosen a deserving cause, and your donation has been given, you should expect a timely thank you. Your hard-earned dollars are valuable and should be greatly appreciated. \u2014 Paul Downey is the CEO and president of Senior Community Centers, a leading provider of services to culturally diverse, low-income amd at-risk seniors in San Diego. Learn more at www.serving seniors.org.