1. Find out who's asking. "If it's a professional solicitor," Borochoff says, "there's a high likelihood that only about a third of the money will make its way to the cause" by the time the charity pays the solicitor's hefty fees. So ask who's on the other end of the line. If it's a paid solicitor, you could skip the pledge now and send a check later directly to the charity.

2. Check the organization's finances. How much of the charity's resources goes into actual programs, and how much gets eaten up by fund-raising campaigns? "Sixty cents out of every dollar they spend should go to programs," Langan advises. "That's a bare minimum, unless it's a group that's three years old or less," which means it still may be incurring start-up costs. Several watchdog organizations keep tabs on financial and other information related to hundreds of charities (see sidebar).

3. Get it in print. If an organization you've never heard of contacts you by phone, and it sounds good, ask the caller to send more information before you give. If the caller refuses, end the conversation. But couldn't the organization just turn around and mail you bogus printed information? "That's unlikely," Langan says. "If you specifically ask what percent of the money goes to programs, not to overhead, you're going to get a straight answer." Groups avoid printing false figures, Langan explains, because doing so sets them up for lawsuits. State attorneys general "thrive on that kind of misinformation," he notes.

4. Pin down what the charity does. How specific are the charity's program descriptions? "For example, if the charity says it's raising money to help the homeless, how is it doing so?" points out Bennett Weiner of the Philanthropic Advisory Service of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Arlington, Va. "Do they provide a shelter? Vocational training? Food? What are they doing for those individuals?" Also, avoid relying on image alone when judging a charity. A group that's long been revered could be "living on its illustrious history," Borochoff warns. "They'll say, 'Since we've existed, we've done this and this.' Well, that's great. But what are they doing now?"

A charity       should spend at least       60% of its dollars       on programs,       not overhead.

5. Watch for cases of mistaken identity. Certain words--such as children, animals, cancer--have a way of cropping up frequently in charity group names. Be sure the organization you're giving to is the one you think it is. "In some cases, the name similarity is just a matter of coincidence," Weiner points out, "because they're raising money for the same goal. In other cases, it may be done with the intention to confuse."

6. Walk away from pressure tactics. Any charity that implores you to send money immediately, without giving you a chance to get more information, is definitely suspicious. Even more suspect is any group that says it will send someone right over to pick up a check. A legitimate charity will be happy to receive your money any time, whether it's today or next month.

8. Don't assume tax deductibility. If it's important to you that your donations be tax-deductible, check closely. Not all organizations soliciting donations are charities. To be sure your contribution will be tax-deductible, find out if the group has a 501(c)(3) designation from the Internal Revenue Service.

9. Pay by check. Don't let your guard down about giving out credit card information to strangers just because it's "for a good cause." Generally, it's best to donate by check. "It's different if you're initiating the call to the charity," Weiner notes. "Then you might make a credit card donation."