Managers of nonprofit agencies are encouraging people who plan on donating to charities this holiday season to be careful and know who their donations are going to before they hand over any money. Maureen Fagans, executive director of United Senior Services, said her agency and most legitimate nonprofits do not use aggressive marketing techniques to solicit donations.
“We will not solicit via email. We will not solicit with a phone call. We will not pressure anyone into making a donation,” Fagans said.
Her words of caution follow a case of fraud that rocked the charity world involving an estimated $100 million. One year ago a man who called himself Bobby Thompson was convicted of defrauding donors in Ohio and across the country. He ran the U.S. Navy Veterans Association, an organization that claimed to benefit veterans of the Navy, but actually funded Thompson’s lavish lifestyle.
Maj. Tom Duperree of the Dayton Salvation Army was disturbed by the Thompson case. Duperree said he has heard of too many fraud cases where scam artists prey upon generous donors who want to help their community.
“It’s a growing problem in our country and it’s scaling larger and larger and it's unfortunate,” he said. The Salvation Army, famous for its Red Kettle fundraising campaign, also does not solicit donations door-to-door or by telephone.
After state and federal agents tracked down Thompson, they learned his real name is John Donald Cody. Cody was convicted on multiple fraud charges in Cleveland and sentenced to 28 years in prison.
Nonprofit managers like Ted Vander Roest, executive director of the Springfield Foundation, recommends that donors get to know whatever organization they are contributing to, regardless of the size of the donation. Potential donors can check out a charity by using the Ohio Attorney General's web site. They can enter the name of a charity in a search box and find out if it is registered with the state. Additional financial and staffing information is also available. Click here to access the site.
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