Nobody would fall for a fraud if it looked like a fraud, right? So most of the time it looks like something else. Around the holidays, watch out for charity frauds:

• When someone asks you for a donation on the street, ask to see official identification for the organization or the solicitor. Find out what the purpose of the charity is and how your donation would be used. Ask if contributions are tax deductible. If you're not satisfied with the answers, don't give.
• Give only to charities that you know. Check out the ones you've never heard of before, or those whose names are similar to a well-known charity. Ask for a brochure or other written documentation describing the charity and how its funds are used.
• Be suspicious of charities that accept only cash. And when you send a check, make it out to the organization, NOT to an individual.
• When a solicitor reaches you by phone, offer to mail your donation. DO NOT give your credit card number over the telephone.