Fraudulent Charities

It seems that with every tragedy, those who prey on the vulnerable come crawling out from under rocks to make their appearance on the Internet. It was reported on the news the other day that since the sudden and shocking death of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, hundreds of fraudulent charities have cropped up on the Internet, using Irwin's name and memory to solicit donations from sympathetic visitors. We saw the same type of fraudulent activities after the 9/11, Tsunami and Gulf Coast Hurricane tragedies.

Remember to give generously, but give wisely. Just because a charity has a web site doesn't mean it's legitimate. Check it out before you donate. This is also a reminder to nonprofits to be sure your information on your web site and on lists such as GuideStar, Give.org, and Network for Good is up to date. For more information, read "Give Generously, but Give Wisely."