Plenty of legitimate charities are seeking donations this time of year, but others are less than scrupulous.

Some that may seem questionable are legitimate, but little of the money actually goes to the organization for which funding is sought.

Those who want to give this time of year are urged by law enforcement and prosecutors to do some research first.

“The number one tip I would give anybody this time of year when scams are running rampant is do not give any information over the telephone,” Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Chris Cohron said. “Ask them to send you something in writing.

“There is no legitimate charity that will try to force you to give them information over the phone … and there is no legitimate charity that will ask you your Social Security number.”

Cohron said in those instances, people are “fishing” for information either by phone or e-mail so they can open credit cards or establish lines of credit in your name.

Then Cohron becomes involved when identity theft has been committed, if the perpetrator can be found.

“When that happens, someone’s financial world can be turned upside down,” he said.

“People know the big legitimate charities – Boys and Girls Club, United Way, American Red Cross,” he said. “But if it’s an organization that is not readily known to you, make sure to get some more information on them.”

Todd Leatherman, an attorney with the state Attorney General’s office, said the office has established a Web site where people can go to look up information on nonprofits to see if they are legitimate. They also can call (888) 432-9257.

“GuideStar also does a very good job of going over financial records and seeing how much money an organization spends on fundraising and charitable works,” Leatherman said. “The Better Business Bureau is also really good; it evaluates about 20 different points.”

A person can then determine if an organization is actually giving what the donor considers enough to charitable works.

Professional fundraisers legally don’t have to give any percentage of what they raise to a charity, according to Leatherman.

“There used to be a statute that said it was illegal to represent that the charity would be the recipient of the donation if a professional solicitor received more than 50 percent of what was collected, but that was found to be unconstitutional,” he said. “There have been several U.S. Supreme Court decisions invalidating state statutes like that … which equated some percentage with fraud. There is no clear black and white line.

“So we encourage people to take that into consideration and ask what percentage is going to the charity,” Leatherman said.

Cohron said he recommends a further step.

“If you want to ensure that your donations are going to go to local organizations, contact your local police and fire department or local state police post directly to give them the money,” he said.

Leatherman said the solicitor is required to say if they are being paid to solicit the funds, and if asked, they must reveal what percentage of the money will go to the charity.

Leatherman said there are several red flags to look for when a charity isn’t legitimate.

“One of the most sure signs that someone is not legitimate is that they try not to give you the information that you are trying to get about the charity,” he said.

“Another one is that they thank you for giving in the past, and you know you have never donated to them before. We hear about people getting phony invoices indicating that you have made a pledge to a particular charity. These are well-worn techniques.”

While the attorney general’s consumer complaint division has not yet received specific complaints for holiday scams, Leatherman said it wants to be proactive with the Web site and by offering the following tips:

• Never give your credit card number to someone soliciting by phone.

• Never give cash. Always make the check payable to the charity and ask for a receipt.

• Never respond to e-mails requesting personal information, including your name, address, date of birth, place of birth, Social Security number or your mother’s maiden name.

• Never agree to meet with a solicitor in your home or accept an offer for a courier to come to your home to pick up your donation.

On the Net:

State Attorney General’s office – http://ag.ky.gov/charity

GuideStar – http://GuideStar.org

The Better Business Bureau – http://www.give.org