AG's Office Releases Tips for Charitable Giving

The Michigan Nonprofit Association, Council of Michigan Foundations, Michigan Association of United Ways, and Attorney General Bill Schuette released a brochure, entitled "Giving Wisely," to give Michigan donors tips on how to give wisely to charity this holiday season without getting caught by the few scammers out there hoping to benefit from Michiganders' generosity.

The tips included:

• Pay with check or credit card so that you have a record of your donation.
• Make the check payable to the organization, never to an individual.
• Ask for and keep receipts from the organization indicating the amount of your donation, the date, and its intended use.
• Use caution when donating by telephone or online unless you independently verify the organization contacting you. Don't give your credit card numbers or other personal information to someone unsolicited who has called you. If you are concerned, ask the organization how it will use your donation and safeguard your information.
• When donating online, check to see that you are using a secure site for financial transactions - one starting with an " httpS://" (not ""http://").
• Avoid supporting scams. While the vast majority of charities are wonderful, conscientious organizations, a few are scams. For detailed information on how to identify scams, see the "Giving Wisely to Charity" brochure on the Attorney General's website.