posted on April 8, 2001 07:03:12 PM new
First of all let me state that I have no doubt that most of the people (not all!) involved in charity auctions are perfectly above board and honest.
However one should be aware that this is a perfect area for scammers.
And frequently the real scammers are the 'legitimate' charities receiving the funds from the auctions.
According to law 90 to 95% of a charity's income can be spent on 'administrative' expenses like 6 figure salaries, 'business trips' that are really vacations, and anything else related to padding their pockets. Even 'big name' charities are guilty of this. In short, it is the biggest ripoff business on the planet.
If you want to contribute to fighting cancer, and do it effectively, there is no simple easy way. It will take time. You need to find the name of an accredited research facility, probably from www.nih.gov. Then contact the individual researcher at the school where he works (all schools have email lookups), and ask for the best way funds may be contributed in a tax deductible manner. The school or institution may have a fund set up specifically for donations to augment research grants.
posted on April 9, 2001 07:02:15 AM new
I believe it! I have thought often about ALL the money raised every year through the Jerry Lewis Telethon and STILL no really new treatments or cures for MD.
posted on April 9, 2001 09:09:19 AM new
The charity that asks you to click here to feed a child for the day is such a hoax.......Read the fine print.....
The Better Business Bureau Organization has most of the rules for ALL LEGAL Charities that are non-profit, and not for profit. bbb.org/about/charstandard.asp
Under their 'Charities and Standards' there is a place to make a complaint against a so called organization. There are a few online that are not legal, and prey on peoples guilt all the while sucking people in more and more for money and goods. These so called do gooders should be in jail.
Legal Charities are registered as
501(c)(3)under the Internal Revenue Code.
posted on April 9, 2001 09:33:02 AM new
This is a great topic and informative. I am often skeptical about some of these. I wonder with all the technological (sp) advances, why we haven't cured some of these diseases, yet. Seems to me, that it would not be any more complicated, than say sending a man to the moon or cloning a human.
posted on April 9, 2001 01:58:06 PM new
Hi yes I understand what you are saying. I too have thought about all of the About Jerry Lewis's telethon and the money just on labor day that they get. Not to mention what they get through out the year. If this thread was started in response to the ACS auctions going on you can believe these are real. Just look at the breakthroughs they have had. JMO but there are lots of scams going on so be sure to check them out before you donate.
