It’s the time of year to think of others, your family and friends, close by and far away, but also strangers who are in need and those who have fewer resources than you.

Whether you give to a nonprofit organization that is providing services for refugees or immigrants, your local homeless or women’s shelter, your church, synagogue or temple, your local animal shelter, food pantry, diaper drive, or any of the many other places that provide for those who need extra help, giving helps in so many ways.

Volunteering, and giving your time and skills is one way to be generous during the holidays, but if you can’t do that, giving money to support these much-needed services is always appreciated.

But even now, when hearts are full of love and forgiveness, there are those who will take advantage of your generosity - before you give somewhere, especially somewhere new, make sure you’re not donating to a scam. They don’t need your forgiveness!

Scammers are pros at tricking people into donating. They’ll often use names that sound a lot like other charities you’ve heard of. They will come to your door and ask for money for local organizations -Boy or Girl Scouts, 4-H clubs, young people’s sports teams, poinsettias (that will never be delivered), school programs, or the local YMCA.

The worst scams are those that take advantage of a disaster – a hurricane, a tornado, a fire, or a flood. They know that when disaster strikes, people want to help in any way they can. They strike soon after the event to take the opportunity to hit you while you are vulnerable and heartbroken by the images on television or social media.

Don’t ever give money to people coming to your door to solicit after a disaster; a true charity will not do that.

Don’t ever give money to someone who calls and asks for your credit card number and other personal or financial information – they will use it to scam you. If you are going to donate, you can call them.

Don’t be rushed or pressured into giving, especially over the phone. If it’s a request to donate on social media, take the time to make sure the person who shared it with you knows the organization or person engaging in the fundraising.

Don’t trust your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information. Calls can look like they come from your local area code, or from a specific organization, even if they don’t. In reality, the caller could be anywhere in the world, or the caller could be generated by artificial intelligence.

Look up the name of the charity on the internet - Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Watch, or Candid are a few sites that let you research a charity, but most importantly, you can verify that they are really a charity. Many times, they use a name that is very close to a real charity.

Also, search the name plus “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.”  If they are not a legitimate charity, you will see responses from people who have been scammed.

Do your research, be active, don’t wait to be targeted, directly call places, and ask questions about how much of the donations go directly to those in need. Every organization needs some money to operate, but it should never be more than they distribute. Ask them if they can provide you with proof of your donation.

Check out the charity’s website. If you can’t find detailed information about a charity’s mission and programs, be suspicious.

Pay attention to how you pay. If a charity asks you to pay with cryptocurrency, by wiring money through Western Union or MoneyGram, with a payment app, or with a gift card, it’s likely a scam. Donating by credit card or check is safer. And it is the way most real charities do business.

Do ask people you trust in the community if they can recommend places that are in need of donations.

They do say that charity begins at home - don’t forget that the opportunity to help may be right down the street – the older lady whose sidewalk needs shoveling, the shut-in who could use a visit and some cookies, the church food pantry, or a student who needs help buying a uniform.

If you have the resources to help, please make sure that you protect yourself while giving to those who are not as lucky as you.

In Connecticut, all charities must be registered. To make sure that a charity is registered, to see if the charity is a scam, or to complain about a charity's fundraising practices, call the Public Charities Unit at 860-713-6170, or email dcp.charitiesenforcement@ct.gov.

If you think you, or someone you know, has been scammed by a fake charity, report it also to ftc.gov/charity.

You can also do a good deed by letting your family and friends know this information – and keeping everyone who wants to help do it safely.

Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season.

This article was written by Catherine Blinder, chief education and outreach officer of the Department of Consumer Protection of the State of Connecticut. To learn more about how the Department of Consumer Protection can help, visit us at www.ct.gov/dcp.