Holiday Scam Warnings Issued

BERLIN — The arrival of the holiday season means more opportunities for charitable giving and donations to those less fortunate, but it also signals a time for a criminal element to prey on the collective good nature of the community.
More than at any other time of the year, the holiday season presents an abundance of opportunities for those with more to share with those with less. While most charitable organizations are on the up and up, others are often imitated by a criminal element in the area for personal gain. While law enforcement officials are certainly not discouraging residents from opening their hearts and their wallets this season, they did offer a few tips on how to avoid being a victim of one of the many scams being carried out in the community.
“Charitable giving helps numerous families right here in Ocean City and we certainly wouldn’t want to discourage that,” said Ocean City Police Public Information Officer Lindsay O’Neal this week. “Our community is lucky enough to have a large number of benevolent residents. There are some scammers though who will take advantage of the spirit of giving during the holiday season and those that only want to help could become victims.”
Common sense can prevent one from becoming a victim of charity scams during the holidays and at all times of the year. While some individuals seeking donations are flat out phony, others have their roots in legitimate organizations and mimic that legitimacy for their own gain. O’Neal said simple research can help charitable individuals determine the legitimate charities.
“Research is the key to charitable giving,” she said. “Not only will you know that the organization is legitimate, but you will know exactly what your donation supports and that it goes toward something you believe in.”
The proliferation of Internet-based scams is often confusing and the safest method of giving during the holiday season is to pick a favorite charity, become familiar with what they do and simply stick with those one know best.
“A simple Internet search to verify the validity of the caller’s organization can prevent that,” said O’Neal. “Also, only give to charities that you are familiar with and remember that legitimate charities will have printed materials and published information on a website. When you make that donation, write a check made out to the organization rather than pay cash and never give out your credit card information over the phone.”