Know the charity you are giving to - Nebr. Sheriff’s Assoc. letter authentic

BROKEN BOW - Nebraskans are known for our generosity. When someone is in need, Nebraskans help.

These days, however, both legitimate charities and not-so-legitimate charities have multiple ways of reaching out to ask for help - phone, mail, email, text, Facebook, GoFundMe and more.

When contacted by a charity, the first thing you should do, according to the Nebraska Attorney General, is confirm the request is from the charity and not an imposter. The Editor of the Custer County Chief did just that.

During the interview on scams, the Sheriff was asked about a letter donation request received from the Nebraska Sheriff ’s Association and using Sheriff Osmond’s name. “It’s valid,” Osmond said. “It’s a good cause.”

As the Attorney General’s website suggests, verify by independently contacting the charity or visiting its website.

The Attorney General also recommends to not assume charity recommendations on Facebook, blogs and other social media have been vetted. Do your own research. Be cautious of “look-alike” websites and be aware of charities with names that sound similar to well known organizations that may be intending to confuse donors.

For those reasons above and for many others, if wanting to give to a charity this season, consider local organizations that you are familiar with and that do good in your local communities.

To learn more about safely donating to charities, visit https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/ donating-charities.

The Nebraska Attorney General offers many resources online to help protect against scams. Visit https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/ to learn more.

To report a scam: https://protectthegood-life.nebraska.gov/re-port-scam. To help protect seniors: https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/ protecting- nebraskas- seniors