Donation Wizard Urges Potential Donors to Take a Closer Look at Charity Car Donation Programs
The public can take steps to avoid getting taken for a ride by a rising number of scams when donating cars.
Warren, RI (PRWEB) June 16, 2009 -- The ploy: a homeless child or starving puppy peers down from a highway billboard. They need help from the public. If people simply donate the old cars sitting in their driveways, they could provide food, shelter, education, or even life to a needy soul. The problem: the billboard is actually owned by a used-car seller, a "charity" that keeps an enormous percentage of the profit for its own benefit, or an organization that uses the money for a purpose never implied in the ads.
"Car donation is a wonderful thing. It really can provide food, shelter, education, and even the hope of a better life to those in need," states Joseph Hearn, president of Advanced Remarketing Services. "People just need to know which programs are legit and which are rip-offs."
The public shouldn't let vague mission statements and catchy radio jingles lure them in. In order to avoid getting duped by a false charity, Hearn suggests that potential donors follow this simple checklist:
1. Make sure the charity is legitimate. A comprehensive list can be found at www.charitynavigator.com
2. Choose an organization with well-recognized work. Donors should be especially concerned about "charities" with cute sounding names, or organizations with the word "car" or "auto" in the name -- they may not have any charitable function except taking car donations from donors.
3. Google the car donation program's name with the word "scam." Too many people donate to companies that are widely known to be dishonest.
4. Ask how much the charity will receive. Donors should find out how much of the gross proceeds go back to the charity. If the organization will only list the percentage of net proceeds, then donations could be largely wasted.
5. Ask how and where the money will be spent. This question should be easily answered. Beware of programs that promise to send proceeds to an organization without having a direct relationship. Find out what percentage of revenue the program keeps for "operating costs."
6. Ask how the vehicle will be handled. Donors will want to know that the vehicle will be picked up and transported by properly licensed and insured towing companies, and that the legal transfer of the vehicle will be handled by a licensed dealer contracted by the charity (or in some cases under the charity's own vehicle license).
7. Sign the title directly over to the charity or their agent. Donors should not, under any circumstances, leave the "buyer" section of the title blank. By leaving the title blank, the donor allows anyone to transfer the title directly from him or her to the next buyer. As a result, they may remain liable for the vehicle, and the charity might not get any credit for the donation.
Donation Wizard works with the nation's most reputable and respected charities, including Habitat for Humanity, National Public Radio, Arthritis Foundation, March of Dimes, One Laptop per Child, Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Foundation, and Feed the Children.
Donation Wizard consistently returns between 75 and 80% of the gross dollar back to its charities. No national charitable car donation program returns a higher percentage. The proceeds from just one car donation could pay for windows for a family in need of decent housing, food for a starving child, medical care and research for an ailing patient, or shelter for a stray dog. Donation Wizard accepts almost all vehicles. To donate a car, truck, boat or RV, call 1-877-957-2277 toll-free or visit www.donationwizard.com.
Contact:
Valerie Meffert, PR & Marketing
Advanced Remarketing Services
308 Market Street
Warren, RI 02885
401-835-1160
vmeffert (at) arscars (dot) com
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