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8 SOUTHERN SENIOR MAGAZINE | Winter 2018 - 2019 S Avoiding Holiday Charity and Other Scams ississippians display their generous hearts through their high rate of charitable giving. Mississippians give an average of 5% of their annual gross to charity each year. This ranks them second in the country just slightly behind Utah. But these soft spots are an encouragement for thieves. So how can we make sure our money goes to the charity and not to a scammer? Follow these tips. Do some research online – You can investigate a specific charity or if you want to support a certain cause you can use phrases like –“homeless kids” or “highly rated charity”. If it is a specific charity, research its name plus “complaint” or “review”. Verify charity at BBB Wise Giving Alliance ( give.org ) or Charity navigator ( charitynavigator.org ) Be careful how you pay – If someone “especially a caller’ wants donations in cash, gift card or wiring money, don’t do it! To be safer, pay by credit card or check. Review your statements for wrong amounts or a recurring donation. Keep Scammers tricks in mind – They may change caller ID to make it look like it’s a local number. They may use names that sound a lot like real charities. Is your money being useful – Find out what percentage is actually going to charity? The Better Business Bureau says that at least 65% should be spent on the charitable activity. The Secretary of State’s office oversees the registration of charities in Mississippi. Over 3,770 registered charities and about 4,000 exempt charities. Religious institutions do not need to register in Mississippi. SOME OTHER SCAMS TO WATCH OUT FOR: 1. Social media Gift Exchange – Purchasing one gift and receiving several in return may sound harmless but it’s a pyramid scheme and illegal. 2. Temporary holiday jobs – Fraudsters will attempt to glean personal information from applicants. Apply in person or go to the retailer’s website. 3. Grandparent scams – This is a year round scam. Always verify with another family member before sending any money, gift cards etc. 4. Free Gift Cards – They use phishing e-mails and pop up ads. Do not open the e-mail or click links. 5. E-Cards – While this is fun, make sure the card is from the actual person. Is the senders name visible? Hover mouse over address to see the real address it was sent by. Avoid open- ing any e-mail that ends in “ .exe ” which may contain a virus. 6. Letters from Santa – many legitimate businesses offer these. Be suspicious of unsolicited email offering these serv- ices. Check bbb.org to verify company. 7. Travel scams – Always be cautious when it comes to email offers. Never wire money to someone you do not know. 8. Fake shipping Notifications – These false notification e-mails trick you into opening and giving personal information. All online vendors provide tracking information and do not need personal information to deliver your package. Report Scams to: ( ftc.gov/complaint ) or BBB Scam Tracker. M By Dawn Vosbein MS, MPH, RD, LDN Dawn Vosbein is a Family & Consumer Science Agent for MSU Extension Service. Barze Place ANTIQUE & COLLECTIBLES MALL Preserving Yesterday’s Memories New Location! 105 Hwy 11 S • Picayune 601-749-0756 • 601-273-1057 Ted, the Tool Man, Does Lamp Repair! www.barzeantiquespicayune.com Collectibles and Books by Local Authors make Great Gifts! ‘