.FLYINGHEAD SECURITY ALERT
.TITLE Watch your back: avoid becoming a victim of holiday scams
.AUTHOR David Gewirtz
.SUMMARY We originally ran this article in OutlookPower Magazine back in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina hit and everyone was in a more giving mood. However, given our current economic times, the scammers are back in full-force and it’s perhaps even more relevant today. It’s interesting, and sad, that a publication like OutlookPower has to spend so much time talking about scams and how to protect yourself. But email is a mass communication tool and with anything that has mass effect, you have people doing good and people doing not so good. Email certainly has provided enormous benefits to vast numbers of people, but it also creates risks. In this time of holiday celebration, many of us share goodwill, while others seek to tap into that goodwill for nefarious gain. So, before you start thinking about giving, make sure you watch your back.
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.H1 About this important article
We originally ran this article in OutlookPower Magazine back in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina hit and everyone was in a more giving mood. However, given our current economic times, the scammers are back in full-force and it’s perhaps even more relevant today. – The editors
.END_SIDEBAR
It’s interesting, and sad, that a publication like OutlookPower has to spend so much time talking about scams and how to protect yourself. But email is a mass communication tool and with anything that has mass effect, you have people doing good and people doing not so good. Email certainly has provided enormous benefits to vast numbers of people, but it also creates risks.
In this time of holiday celebration, many of us share goodwill, while others seek to tap into that goodwill for nefarious gain. So, before you start thinking about giving, make sure you watch your back.
Last year, Americans gave more than $240 billion to the more than 700,000 charities that solicit your donations each year. From the disastrous tsunami that hit the Pacific Rim and Southeast Asia in late December to the havoc of hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, Americans dug deep to support local, regional, national and international relief efforts. Many of our international friends were also very giving, providing us some hope for humanity’s soul.
People also tend to give more during the holiday season, which, unfortunately, tends to bring out the dark side of human nature, making the holiday period a favorite target of scam-artists hoping to funnel your good will for their own selfish gain. How can you avoid becoming a victim of a holiday scam?
"It pays to be cautious when you make your donations," says Dr. Rhonda Hackett, founder of Nivek, an organization which has directly helped more than 100,000 people living in poverty. "It’s important to be sure that the money is going to a legitimate charity, and that most of your dollars wind up actually helping those programs and people you intend to help."
Her new book, Making A Difference: Changing the World One Penny and One Minute at a Time, suggests some common-sense criteria in ascertaining the value of any charity group before any money is given. She recommends checking out useful Web sites like the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance (at http://www.give.org), the American Institute of Philanthropy (at http://www.charitywatch.org) which rates a charity on financial performance and fiscal responsibility, and GuideStar (at http://www.guidestar.org), which facilitates access to information about the operations and finances of non-profit organizations.
Among the most important do’s and don’ts, Hackett says:
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.BULLET Never make a donation on the phone or over the Internet, but request a written solicitation that includes the group’s registration information within your State of residence, and proof of accountability.
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.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET Where a third-party telemarketer is involved, written follow-up is even more important, along with a contact number for the charity group to ascertain the validity of the telemarketing firm.
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.BULLET Never provide credit card information over the phone or online, and never donate cash.
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.BULLET Be particularly wary of any alleged non-profit with a name that closely resembles that of a more established charity. This problem happened widely with both tsunami and Katrina relief efforts.
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An important part of Hackett’s message addresses our need to realize that millions of American children are hungry; thousands of men, women and children are homeless and living on the street; and more families are living in poverty than at any time in our history.
"To make true change, we must take care of those in our own backyards first," she emphasizes. "Helping others brings much more to your life than you could ever give in dollars alone. There are inexpensive and powerful ways each of us can help, starting with an online search of the various types and names of social service agencies in your community."
Hackett then suggests choosing one or more groups that desperately need every bit of help imaginable. Included are helping seniors living in poverty, reaching out to the homeless, feeding the hungry through soup kitchens, food pantries and sandwich lines, helping at low-income day-care centers and schools; and meeting the special needs of women and children residing in domestic violence shelters.
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Here at ZATZ, Managing Editor Denise Amrich recommends looking beyond the established big-brand charities like the American Red Cross. "When disasters hit, the Red Cross is always first with their hand out," she says. "But much of what they take in goes to fueling the reputation and operations of the Red Cross, and not victim aid. I won’t say the American Red Cross is evil, but it is big and corporate. There are other legitimate ways to give but it’s frustrating not knowing which ones are on the up and up."
Denise recommends reading an article by blogger Richard Walden (at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-walden/how-much-is-too-much_b_6711.html), just to get a bit more perspective on the issue.
Happy holidays to all of our readers. And to all, a good night.
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.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on Making A Difference: Changing the World One Penny and One Minute at a Time, visit http://amazon.com/o/ASIN/1598001108.
For more information on the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, visit http://www.give.org.
For more information on the American Institute of Philanthropy, visit http://www.charitywatch.org.
For more information on GuideStar, visit http://www.guidestar.org.
To read Richard Walden’s though-provoking commentary on the American Red Cross, visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-walden/how-much-is-too-much_b_6711.html.
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.BIO
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