COUNTYWIDE : Cancer Society Issues Bogus-Solicitor Alert

Local officials of the American Cancer Society warned consumers Monday to beware of “look-alike” organizations allegedly soliciting funds to fight cancer.

The warning was prompted by calls from about 30 Orange County residents who complained that they had received solicitations from a questionable cancer group, said Tom McPherson, the society’s director of marketing.

Groups often use titles such as “Society,” “American” or “Fund” so that they appear to be well-established national charities, cancer society officials said. But “less than 5 cents of every dollar collected by some of these groups actually benefits cancer research, education or service,” the organization said in a statement.

Some use high-pressure tactics such as sending couriers to collect donations or forwarding bogus “invoices” indicating an amount due, they said. Mailed solicitations from “look-alike” groups may also claim to offer sweepstakes, surveys and free prizes.

“I don’t want to say we’re the only organization out there that you should be sending money to,” McPherson said, but the “look-alike” organizations might not be licensed to solicit charitable donations.

Also, some are not members of the National Charities Information Bureau, a New York City agency that sets standards for charitable agencies, including a requirement that at least 50% of all money raised must be spent on the charitable service--not on fund raising.

American Cancer Society officials said consumers can determine whether a mailing is fraudulent by calling the U.S. Postal Inspector at 1-800-847-8847.

Also, they may write to the National Charities Information Bureau, 19 Union Square West, New York, N.Y. 10003-3395 for a publication entitled, “Give, but Give Wisely.”

“We are urging donors to be smart,” said James P. Burra, chairman of the Orange County ACS board of directors.