How to give to charity without getting scammed

There are a lot of good charities that need your help now and in the future, and will put your donations to good use. But, unfortunately, this is also a time of year when scammers take advantage of kind hearts. If you want to give, it is a good idea to pay attention and check things out before giving money over the phone, clicking on what could be a fake website, or responding to a request for money in person or through the mail.