• Lt. Rick Grillo

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The season of giving has arrived. Many charitable organizations have seasonal campaigns that encourage giving during the run up to Christmas.

Using actual charities as a cover and playing on people's giving spirit fake organizations will attempt to lure people into giving money to them.

Meridian Township Police Lieutenant Rick Grillo gave some tips about spotting fraud during the holidays.

"Ask if their 501C complaint or if they license to be a charitable organization. If they don't be very leary of that organization and use your intuition and best judgement if you think that's someone you should be donating to."

A tactic that is common among the scams is to rush a donation and make the process as quick as possible.

"If they don't give you time to do your research, I probably wouldn't donate to that charity."

Online donators should check they are on the actual organization's site when they donate as some scams substitute a letter in the web address to replicate the intended charity's.

Lt. Rick also said to request a receipt after you have made the donation for record keeping and tax purposes.

"Never give your credit card information out over the phone."