newjerseynewsroom.com

Issues information in four foreign languages

The state Division of Consumer Affairs is issuing posters and flyers in Japanese and other Asian languages, with the important message “Before you Donate to Help Those Affected by the Disaster in Japan: Beware of Fraudulent Charities.”

“New Jersey citizens of every ethnic background are watching the immense suffering in Japan, and they are moved to help in any way possible,” Acting Consumer Affairs Director Thomas R. Calcagni said. “At times like these, many legitimate charities begin seeking donations for relief efforts. Unfortunately, disasters also attract con artists who set up fraudulent charities that do nothing but fleece donors out of their money.”

“Before you donate, investigate,” Calcagni added. “We can help you determine whether a charity is legitimate, and how that charity has used its donations in the past.”

The posters, available in Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin, as well as in English and Spanish, provide basic tips for consumers to learn about charities. Consumer Affairs investigators are placing posters at Asian supermarkets and other locations.

The posters are also available for download:

In English at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov/brief/jpdisaster.pdf

In Japanese at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov/brief/japan.pdf

In Korean at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov/brief/korean.pdf

In Mandarin at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov/brief/mandarin.pdf

In Spanish at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov/espanol/spbrief/japan.pdf

The documents include the following tips:

Give to charities you know and trust. Never give to a charity you know nothing about. Ask for literature and read it. Ask questions. Honest charities encourage you to do so.

Contact Consumer Affairs’ Charities Hotline at 973-504-6215 or www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov/charity/chardir.htm to learn about specific charities. You can confirm whether a charity is registered or is exempt from registration requirements. You can also learn about the charity’s most recently reported financial information, including how much the charity reported spending on programs, fundraising, and management expenses.

Additionally, you can check the division’s new list of the Top 10 Most Inquired-About Charities, which was launched last week and will be updated every two months, at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov/charity/inquired/.

Don’t be fooled by a convincing name. A dishonest charity will often have an impressive name or one that closely resembles the name of a respected, legitimate organization.

Don’t succumb to pressure. Don’t let yourself be pressured into giving, and don’t feel you have to contribute on the spot. No legitimate organization will expect you to contribute immediately, even if you have given in the past.

Ask if the charity uses a professional fundraiser and, if so, what percentage of your contribution will actually go toward relief efforts and how much will be used to pay the fundraiser.

Beware of unsolicited and phony email notices that claim to be from a charity asking for your credit card information. This scam is called “phishing” and could be used by thieves to commit identity theft. If the charity is unfamiliar to you, check whether the group is registered with Consumer Affairs’ Charities Section. If the organization is registered or you know the organization, call directly to find out if the email notice is valid.

Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of consumer abuse, can file a complaint with the Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website, www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov, or by calling 1-800-242-5846 or 973-504-6200.

-TOM HESTER SR., NEWJEREYNEWSROOM.COM