4 IMPORTANT TIPS FOR CONSUMERS GENERAL TIPS REGARDING CHARITABLE SOLICITATIONS Similar charitable solicitations tips are being distributed by AARP ElderWatch, …
| |CONSUMER ADVISORY | |
| | | |
| |Attorney General Ken Salazar | |
| |Secretary of State Donetta Davidson | |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Ken Lane, 303-866-5632
December 19, 2002 Attorney
Generals Office
Chris Cash, 303-894-
2200, x 6407
Secretary of States Office
ATTORNEY GENERAL SALAZAR AND SECRETARY OF STATE
DAVIDSON PROVIDE CONSUMER TIPS ON
CHARITABLE SOLICITATIONS
Denver”Attorney General Ken Salazar and Secretary of State Donetta
Davidson today issued practical consumer information to consider when
responding to charitable solicitations
There are many legitimate charities that rely upon generous
contributions from the public We all need to be confident that our
donations will be used for the intended charitable purpose
Unfortunately,
not every charitable solicitation will be legitimate We are providing
information to guide consumers in this area, said Salazar
To protect Colorado citizens from charitable fraud, the State
registration number is essential–if the callers cant give you one, tell
them to call back when they have one The registration number will enable
potential donors to review all the filings for a charity or a paid
solicitor, said Davidson It will empower consumers and charities alike
by helping consumers make better-informed decisions We know that
Coloradans are very generous when it comes to volunteering their time and
donating their money to charities, and we want to do everything we can to
prevent anyone from taking advantage of that generosity, said Davidson
Recognizing the difficulty of distinguishing between real and phony
charitable appeals, particularly among those that are not well recognized,
Attorney General Salazar and Secretary of State Davidson offer the
following tips:
4 IMPORTANT TIPS FOR CONSUMERS
1 If a solicitor calls you: Ask for their registration number AND the
registration number of the charity they are
representing With
certain exceptions, charitable organizations seeking donations from
Colorado residents must register with the Colorado Secretary of State
before they can engage in fundraising activities in Colorado
Professional fundraising consultants and paid charitable solicitors
must also register with the Secretary of State before they can engage
in any fundraising activities in Colorado, and have separate
registration numbers
2 Ask every solicitor: How much of my donation will actually go to
the charitable organization? If you think the amount is too low, tell
them No thank you
3 Ask every solicitor and charity: Is my contribution tax deductible?
If this is important to you, ask the question Charities must
indicate their tax-exempt status in their registration statements
Tax exempt does not necessarily mean that contributions are tax
deductible Do not accept a federal employer ID number as evidence of
an organizations tax-exempt status with the IRS; that information
alone is meaningless to a potential donor
4 Check out the charity before you give, particularly if you
are
unfamiliar with it Request written literature, including the
organizations own annual report Colorado law requires all
charitable organizations soliciting contributions in Colorado, with
certain specific exceptions listed in the Charitable Solicitations
Act, to submit an initial registration statement with the Secretary of
State and an annual financial report The Charitable Solicitations Act
is in the Colorado Statutes at 6-16-101 through 113
Registration statements and financial reports are available to the
public online through the Secretary of States Office at
wwwsosstatecous Look under the Licensing link, then under
Search Charitable Database The financial reports include yearly
revenue and expense information for the charity
GENERAL TIPS REGARDING CHARITABLE SOLICITATIONS
Make checks payable to the organization, never to an individual
Dont be fooled by names that closely resemble other well-known
organizations
Dont be swayed by strong emotional appeals — take some time to examine
the charitys claims and to consider alternatives
Dont be pressured to make an immediate
decision — while donations will
help, it is not likely that two or three days will make a difference Be
suspicious if the caller offers to send a courier to pick up your
contribution or requests an immediate contribution If youre not sure,
ask them to send informational material and a contribution envelope
Ask for and get the name and address of both the paid fundraiser and the
charity they represent
Numerous charity organizations maintain legitimate web sites through which
donations can be made However, e-mail solicitations are rarely used by
these legitimate organizations to solicit donations If you receive an e-
mail solicitation directing you to a private web site which requests your
credit card number, be wary because it is very possible this is a scam
If you believe a fraudulent fundraiser has contacted you, please call the
Attorney Generals Office at
1-800-222-4444, your local law enforcement office, or the Colorado
Secretary of States Office at 303-894-2200
The Federal Trade Commission is also a source of information about
charitable scams Their web site is wwwftcgov
Similar charitable solicitations tips are being distributed by AARP
ElderWatch,
which is a program
of the Colorado Attorney Generals Office and the AARP Foundation AARP
ElderWatch is a program that works to reduce the incidence of elder
financial exploitation in Colorado
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Source:greenmap.org
