Military Honors For Memorial Day Weekend (Plus a Warning Via My Mother)

terri0729

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–And a word from the Indiana State Attorney General via my mother:

Attorney General Seal
Support the troops, not scammers this Memorial Day
Scammers may try to use the significance of Memorial Day to ramp up efforts to prey on members of the military, veterans and their supporters.
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller said while the holiday is a time for Americans to remember the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice, fraudsters can prey on that sentiment in hopes of ripping you off.
If you would like to donate to a charity benefiting veterans or their families make sure your money will be well spent. Don’t wait on a call, email or visit from a solicitor, instead research reputable charities and contact the organization directly.
For example, you can visit the Internal Revenue Service’s website that maintains a list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions. Next, find out how much the charity spends on administrative expenses, fundraising, programs and services. Several independent organizations have compiled financial information on charities, especially those that conduct nationwide solicitation campaigns. For a list of these organizations you can also visit the “Charities and Donors” section of the Attorney General’s website.
If you are contacted or visited by a solicitor the Attorney General’s Office recommends following these guidelines:                                                      
  • Ask the person for written information on the charitable organization, including the charity’s name, address, telephone number, mission and details on how your donation will be used;
  • Watch out for charities with similar sounding names.Some unscrupulous charities use names that are very similar to those of respected organizations to scam consumers;
  • Be suspicious if the solicitor or an invoice in the mail thanks you for making a pledge that you didn’t make. If you have any doubt about whether you made a pledge, check your records;
  • Under Indiana law, you have the right to cancel a pledge prior to making a contribution; and
  • Always make contributions by check and payable to the charitable organization, not to the solicitor.

 

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