December 6th, 2001

 

Dear Editor:

 

As the holiday season approaches, many of your readers may notice that they are receiving an ever-increasing number of appeals for donations to various charitable organizations.  With this in mind, I offer the following friendly warnings.

 

There are currently more than 70,000 charities operating in Canada.  I should point out that most of them are legitimate organizations that truly help to improve the lives of people in need however, there are also many groups in existence who are eager to cash in on our collective and individual generosity.

 

Phoney fundraisers run the gamut from freelance canvassers who approach you on the street to sophisticated operations with impressive offices and stationery.  Many groups offer simple merchandise for sale and say the proceeds will go to a certain charity.  In most cases that is accurate but, in some situations it is not.  At a time when real charities may be having a hard time meeting their goals, it is important to make sure your money is not being wasted on frauds.  Charity swindlers steal from donors and cheat those who truly need our help.  In an effort to sort out which charities are real and which are not, I would offer the following ten suggestions...

 

1.                  When giving to charity, use your head as well as your heart:

2.                  Your donation is a GIFT and it is your decision to give any charity a gift.  They cannot force you to give.  Any group who attempts to force you to

give to their cause is not a reputable organization.

3.                  Donate only to established charities and don’t be fooled by names that may

look or sound like those of well-known organizations.

4.                  Few legitimate charities solicit by phone.  If you receive a call asking for a   

donation, tell the caller to send you something in writing that you can study at  

your leisure.  If they cannot send you such a notice – don’t make the gift.

5.                  Ask questions.  A real charity will welcome them.  Ask how much of your

            donation actually goes for to charitable purposes and how much is spent on

administration and fundraising expenses.  By law, it should not be more than

20 per cent.)  Don’t trust a charity that won’t give you the facts.

6.                  Never give your credit card number over the phone or to someone that you don’t know.

7.                  Don’t be swayed by emotional appeals or feelings of guilt  Don’t feel pressured to give money immediately.  A legitimate charity will appreciate your donation just as much the following day.

8.                  Remember that you don’t have to donate to a charity just because it sent you something you didn’t ask for. You can legally accept that item as a free gift.

9.                  A federal income tax registration number DOES NOT guarantee the organization is legitimate.  The number could be fake.

10.              Check out any suspicious charity appeals with the Better Business Bureau or with the RCMP’s Phonebusters program at 1-888-495-8501.  You can also find information on the latest consumer fraud scams on Industry Canada’s Strategis web-site (www.strategis.ic.gc.ca) and on the RCMP web-site (www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/).

 

I strongly believe that we all have a duty to help those less fortunate than ourselves, at Christmas and everyday.  I also believe that we should protect ourselves from fraud.  With this, I hope that the above is useful should you decide to donate to any charity. 

 

Sincerely,

Paul Steckle, M.P.

Huron-Bruce