Cons, Frauds and Scams
Holiday Charitable Donations
Experts are warning of a jump in misleading or fraudulent
charitable requests during the holidays. Deceitful charitable
solicitations are a scam that occurs whenever we have a national
or local disaster and during the holidays. Consumers are scammed
by charities that don't exist, particularly those with names
that sound like legitimate charities. Consumers also must be
aware that some charities give very little of the money they
collect to the persons they represent. That is...some charities
pocket close to 90% of the money they collect instead of
distributing it to the needy. If you are solicited by a charity,
ask questions. Ask them to send you a financial statement; ask
them to send you information about the charity in the mail; and
please don't give out personal identifying or financial
information over the telephone.
Mesa Police Department
PO Box 1466
Mesa, AZ 85211
480-644-2030