Scambook Alerts the Public to be Aware of Charity Scams During Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 30, 2013 -- With Breast Cancer Awareness Month starting tomorrow, October 1st, Scambook, the leading online consumer advocacy platform, is warning the public about increasing breast cancer charity scams for the upcoming month and thereafter. With a little less than one in eight women diagnosed with breast cancer, many looking to donate need to be cautious of fraudulent charities this October. *
“Sadly, there are organizations that take advantage of the good will of the public, especially during times of heightened awareness like Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Some charities, while having good intentions, spend more money on their employees’ salaries than they donate to cancer research,” says Scambook’s Director of Marketing Kase Chong. “Other so-called charities are simply fronts for scam artists to steal a donor's money.”
Scambook is offering the following tips to help consumers avoid fraudulent breast cancer charities and related scams:
1. Do not respond to unsolicited (SPAM) e-mail.
2. Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting via e-mail for donations.
3. Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
4. Be cautious of e-mails claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
5. Make direct contributions to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf. A non-exhaustive list of reputable breast cancer organizations can be found on this website, which rates the credibility of charities.
6. Validate the legitimacy of the organization by directly accessing the recognized charity or aid organization’s website rather than following an alleged link to the site.
7. Verify the legitimacy of the non-profit status of an organization by using various Internet-based resources, which can also assist in confirming the actual existence of the organization. GuideStar is a free resource that allows users to peruse nonprofits’ tax returns to see exactly how allocate money.
8. Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions, as providing such information may compromise your identity and make identity theft possible.
Scambook recommends that when consumers decide to purchase a product to support breast cancer research, rather than donate directly to a charity, to make sure to read the fine print. Many companies can put a cap on how much of the proceeds of a product will actually be donated. They may also design a special edition product using a cause's signature color – in this case pink – without donating any sale proceeds to the cause itself.
Many take part in charity dinners, galas, and walks, however these have huge overhead costs. For those looking to make the largest impact possible, donating directly to a reputable breast cancer charity is the best option.
Research charities prior to donating by using resources such as Scambook.com and report any fraudulent charities or individuals to protect others from falling for the scam.
About Scambook
Scambook is an online complaint resolution platform dedicated to obtaining justice for victims of fraud with unprecedented speed and accuracy. By building communities and providing resources on the latest scams, Scambook arms consumers with the up-to-date information they need to stay on top of emerging schemes. Since its inception, Scambook has resolved over $10 million in reported consumer damages. For more information, visit scambook.com.
*American Cancer Society, “How many women get breast cancer?”, http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/overviewguide/breast-cancer-overview-key-statistics 9/17/2013
Lisa Inouye, PMBC Group, +1 (310) 777-7546, [email protected]
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