Have you donated to a charity recently? What resources did you check before selecting to give your hard-earned donation? Be careful of con artists who pretend to represent a worthy cause.
Many organizations seeking donations will contact us by phone, mail or email. If we aren’t careful, we may get taken by a group that sounds like a legitimate organization but is not. The schemers will call and say the name of the charity that sounds familiar such as “Hawaii Cancer Society when it actually should be, “American Cancer Society Hawaii.” The group will thank us for our “pledge,” pressure us to pay quickly and may refuse to provide details about their organization or charity.
What will you do or say? Best to say, “no thanks “and hang up. Do not engage. Remember, never send cash, wire money or load pre-paid debit cards or gift cards. Resources to check or to learn more:
Fraudsters are after our personal identity. So let’s not allow them to make the first step and empty our pockets or send a check in the name of “charity.” Let’s start the new year right! Contact SMP Hawaii for more information.
