It’s the season of giving, and unfortunately, the season of taking, too. Whether it’s an online shopping scam, gift-card fraud, or a fake charity asking for donations, Managing Editor Tami Roleff says make sure you’re dealing with a legitimate charity before donating…
Crooks are always coming up with new ways to separate you from your money. Some of the newer scams include a $20 “Letter to Santa” scam, and a fake electronic greeting card scam.
“Which are going to appear like something you would want to open because it’s something innocent and something that you may be expecting to get. But if you’re not careful about the address, you may be susceptible to getting malware when you open the greeting card.”
AARP fraud expert Sally Hurme says she finds fake charity scams especially disheartening because people are so generous this time of year. She says a lot of fake charities crop up in December. “They use various schemes. They’ll use names that are similar to a recognized charity or they will just pull at your heartstrings and you think that you’re giving to a legitimate charity when you’re not.”
Before you donate to a charity, check it out on charitynavigator.org or through the Better Business Bureau.
