1. Always ask the solicitor for some identification before giving out
any information. By
law, paid solicitors must identify the charity for which
they solicit and their status as a paid solicitor.
Do not be afraid to ask and if they refuse, don’t
hesitate to hang up and contact your local law enforcement
agency.
2. Always ask for printed materials from the charity. Any
legitimate charity can provide printed materials for you to
study and understand the charity’s purposes.
Ask for materials that clearly state (1) the name,
address and telephone number of the charity (2) a
description of how and where charitable funds will be used,
and (3) the name, address and telephone number of the paid
solicitor.
3. Always ask how much of the contributions actually go to the charity. According
to Massachusetts’s law, solicitors and the charities for
which they solicit are required to file an accounting of the
fundraising campaign, which must include a copy of the terms
of the fundraising agreement.
This filing should indicate how much of the proceeds
actually go to the charity and should be available for the
solicitor to disclose to all potential donors.
4. Beware of high-pressure sales tactics and abusive behavior by
solicitors. No
legitimate charitable fun-raiser will refuse to take the
time to explain the purpose of fundraising and the
objectives of the charity in a courteous manner. If you encounter abusive solicitation, please contact your
local law enforcement agency.
5. Keep
records of all donations, including receipts and cancelled
checks. This information is essentially important for
tax deduction purposes and in case you have a complaint in
the future.
6. Beware of solicitors
“soliciting” for organizations that have deceptively
similar names to legitimate charities. Many
for-profit organizations style their names after charitable
organizations. Don’t
be deceived by these copycat businesses whose titles may
differ by as little as terms like “association,”
“federation,” “national,” “American,”
“incorporated,” and “foundation.”
As mentioned earlier, ask for more information and
contact your local law enforcement agency if you are unsure
of any campaigns.
7. Never pay by cash and
never give your credit card number over the phone. When making any donations, simply make a check out to the
charity itself, not to the paid solicitor, and use the
charity’s full name.
That way you have a record of the contribution and
the money goes directly to the charity.
8. Call the beneficiaries
of the charitable fundraising campaign and ask if they are
aware of the solicitation. If the charities are unaware
of the solicitation campaign, please contact your local law
enforcement agency immediately.
9. Don’t be deceived by solicitation gimmicks.
Use caution when purchasing products or tickets or
when receiving free merchandise. These methods may be legitimate but they add cost to the
fundraising campaigns, which are deducted from your
donations. Also
use caution when dealing with sweepstakes which may request
more money that the prize is worth or ma never provide a
prize at all.
10. Verify all information with your local police department or law
enforcement agency, some require organizations to register
before soliciting.
If
you have any questions or problems, contact the Office of
the Attorney General, Public Charities, One Ashburton Place,
Boston, MA 02108 (617) 727-2200 or:
The Better
Business Bureau www.give.org
