Beware Those Cons in Charity’s Clothing : Investigate to Make Sure Your Holiday Goodwill Reaches Its Intended Destination

One of the better aspects of the holiday season is the impulse to give, not necessarily another tie for a father or a toy for a child but money in the Salvation Army bell ringer’s bucket and a few cans of food in the collection barrel at work.

Unfortunately, the charitable feelings out there during the season are no secret to the con artists either. Warnings to be sure money given by people in Orange County goes as intended have been appropriate.

Karen McGlinn, director of the Costa Mesa-based charity Share Our Selves, said one man recently set up shop in front of a grocery store and solicited contributions he said would go to SOS. As McGlinn correctly noted, agencies like hers cannot know who may be out there using their names. But there are precautions that should be taken.

Charitable organizations recommend not giving money to door-to-door solicitors. Ask for an envelope and an address so the donation can be mailed. Telephone the organization and see if the solicitor really represented it. If you haven’t heard of the group, check with the county Better Business Bureau or the National Charities Information Bureau in New York. In addition, the state attorney general’s office maintains a list of charities that have registered in California.

Orange County long has had the unfortunate title of telephone fraud capital of the nation. The scam artists know many residents are wealthy, and the warm weather and amenities are as attractive to criminals as to the law-abiding. The Orange County district attorney’s office said most complaints it received about consumer fraud stem from telephone solicitors fraudulently claiming to represent legitimate groups.

Sometimes hustlers dial for dollars from the unwary by using names similar to those of reputable organizations. The more brazen ask that gifts be made in cash, and offer to send someone over to pick it up. Ask for information in writing, and when it arrives, check for a listing of what percentage of the funds are used for programs and services, and what percentage for fund-raising and administrative costs.

Orange County has had a good record of helping charities, though in recent years it has been more difficult because of the recession and job losses, including some at corporations that were major benefactors of groups helping the needy. The desire to help out is noble at any time of year, but it unfortunately requires caution to make sure that dollars reach their intended destination.