If someone reaches out to you over the phone asking you to donate and you are unsure, one way to make sure they are not a scammer is to ask them for a call back number.
"If they get cagey about giving you a call back number that's normally a sign that's someones up to something that they shouldn't be", said Megan Hawthorne, the Deputy Press Secretary for the Michigan Attorney General's Office.
Websites like The Better Business Bureau, Charity Watch, the Michigan Attorney General's Office have information about which charities are reputable.
"You can search for charities that have been registered in the state of Michigan to solicit donations from individuals", Hawthorne said.
Hawthorne also said if you don't feel comfortable donating to someone it's okay not to.
"It's okay to step back, not donate to choose a different organization that you're confident is going to use your donation for what's supposed to be used for", Hawthorne said.
If you think you've been the victim of a charity scam you can contact the Michigan Attorney General's Office by phone, mail, or on their http://www.michigan.gov/aghttp://www.michigan.gov/ag.
