Fraud and financial expert Phil Swan shares his tips to keep yourself safe during the holiday giving season.
1. Do your research on the charity (and, if you are googling it, try to search the charity with the words “complaint”, “review”, “rating” or “scam” or “fraud”… just by adding those words, you might run the kind of information you are looking for…)
2. Ask how your money will be used!
3. Be ware of payment methods – CHARITIES WILL OFTEN NOT ASK FOR GIFT CARDS
4. Keep a record of how much you donated.
5. Don’t EVER give out your personal banking information and social security numbers.
And, just as a friendly reminder, SLOW DOWN. Scammers will try to “speed you up” to get your money. Slow down, take your time and do your research.
The Federal Trade Commission
has great tips – and has information about charity scams. You can also report a scam to them –
CLICK HERE
.
If you do believe you’ve been a victim. Please consider contacting authorities and reporting the fraud to the FTC (website above) and
www.ic3.com
.
(Fraud expert Phil Swan in the KFGO studios)
RELATED CONTENT:
Fargo’s Fraud Squad: The Fraud Triangle
Fargo’s Fraud Squad: Repackaging Scams
Fargo Fraud Squad: The Romance Scam
Fargo Fraud Squad: The Grandparent Scam
Fargo Fraud Squad: Craigslist/Secondary Market Scam
Fargo Fraud Squad: Counterfeit Money
Fargo Fraud Squad: What to do if you are the victim of a scam
Fargo Fraud Squad: The Kidnapping Scam
(Amy Iler & JJ Gordon are talk-show hosts at 790 AM KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. “It Takes 2 with Amy & JJ” can be heard weekdays 11am-2pm. Check out the show page on
FACEBOOK.
Follow Amy on Twitter
@AmyKFGO
. Follow JJ on Twitter
@JJGodon701
.)
