Colorado Bankruptcy Law Group, LLC – Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Personal Bankruptcy Attorneys

The Colorado Attorney General has issued a press release reminding people to be wary of people trying to take advantage of the recent Haiti disaster and suggests taking the following simple steps:

• Visit the www.checkthecharity.com or the Colorado Secretary of State’s Web site (www.sos.state.co.us) to make sure a charity soliciting contributions is registered with the state.
• Seniors can contact AARP ElderWatch via the Colorado Consumer Line, 1-800-222-4444, for more information on charity fraud.
• Ask for the solicitor’s registration number and the registration number of the charity he or she is representing.
• If the charity is required to file the federal form 990 or 990-EZ with the IRS, ask to see it.
• Ask your tax advisor or the Internal Revenue Service if your donation will be tax deductible. The fact that a charity has a tax identification number does not necessarily mean your contribution is tax-deductible.
• Ask the solicitor how much or what percentage of the donation will go to the charity.
• Be wary if the charity does not want to provide information about its programs and finances. Reputable charities will gladly provide the information requested.
• Watch out for charities with names that sound similar to well-known organizations. Sometimes these sound-alike names are simply intended to confuse donors.
• Do not pay in cash. Donate with a check made payable to the charity.
• If solicited in person, ask to see identification for both the solicitor and the charity.
• Certain well-known charities such as the Red Cross will never solicit donations over the phone.
• Beware of unsolicited e-mail. There have already been reports of e-mail that purport to be solicitations from the Red Cross. The e-mails have links embedded in them that will take you to a fake Red Cross Web site. Further, such unsolicited e-mail may spread computer viruses. Do not respond to any e-mail soliciting donations from any organization. Instead, go directly to the organization’s Web site or call to make donations.
• If you believe you have been solicited by a fraudulent charity, please file a complaint with the Secretary of State or the Attorney General via www.checkthecharity.com.

Finally, if you feel uncomfortable simply say no.

Peter Mullison is a bankruptcy attorney at Colorado Bankruptcy Law Group, LLC. If you are considering Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 personal bankruptcy, schedule your free, confidential bankruptcy consultation with a Colorado bankruptcy attorney today. Our online scheduling system allows you to schedule a bankruptcy consultation at a time that is convenient for you.

Colorado Bankruptcy Law Group, LLC is a personal bankruptcy firm serving clients in the greater Denver area.

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