Anytime some person or organization makes any kind of offer that results in my getting some amount of money for very little effort or risk I become skeptical. People just don’t give away money.

If I choose to help those less fortunate than I, I make the first call. I initiate the process. There are lots of charitable agencies and organizations to take care of people in dire straits, and I help them whenever I can. Any legitimate group doing this kind of work is going to be agreeable to a background check. Most will give you a few references, and there are many other means to use to verify legitimacy as well. It is just a matter of making a few phone calls to determine which is the right one for any potential donor.

The most obvious place to start checking is the local Better Business Bureau; another is the local Chamber of Commerce. Businesses are called upon regularly to donate to a variety of causes. Any time a scam gets started the word usually gets around quickly. Most District Attorney’s Offices have a consumer crime division who will be aware of any scam that has been running for very long. Even if they haven’t heard of a specific scam, they are aware of many forms that circulate from time to time.

The bottom line for me is, no one is going to get any of my money until I know what is being done with it and I approve of it. And if I have to jump through any hoops or get involved in any scheme, forget about it!