The wildfires raging through California this month have prompted the Federal Trade Commission to release a warning about fraudulent groups posing as charities in order to skim money off of unsuspecting victims.

The FTC offers these guidelines to follow to make sure your donations actually help people in need.

• Know where your money goes: Some charities operate by individuals or groups soliciting donations. When someone contacts you to request a donation, ask how your money will be distributed. If you don’t think enough will go straight to the charity, donate with another group.
• Call the charity group: Follow up after being solicited by phoning the charity itself and verifying the legitimacy of the person who called or visited you. If the group has no knowledge of the caller, it was probably a scammer.
• Get it in writing: When you’re contacted, ask for the charitable organization’s information (name, address, phone number).
• Do a little homework: To make sure your money goes to legitimate groups, check out your state’s registration guidelines and whether the group follows them (check online at www.nasconet.org/agencies). You can also look up a charity with the Better Business Bureau’s charity division (www.bbb.org/charity) or GuideStar (www.guidestar.org).
• Go with your instinct & check your records: One trick some scammers use is to thank you for a donation you never made, in hopes of guilting you into giving. Resist this ploy and look at your records. If you still think giving is a good idea, you can always do it after you’ve checked things out.
• Watch out for current event charities: While a charity related to a current disaster may sound tempting and relevant, understand that newer, hastily set up groups may be ill-equipped to effectively distribute the funds they gather. Consider finding an established charity that will contribute to the cause.
• Listen for fake names: Some fraudsters create fake charities with names that sound very much like real ones. Double-check a group’s name online or in your phone book before signing on.
• Watch out for illegal sweepstakes promises: Laws in the U.S. prohibit sweepstakes that require purchases or donations.
• Beware of overnight courier collections: Avoid groups that promise an overnight courier to collect your contributions.
• Distinguish tax exempt from tax deductible: Tax exempt groups don’t have to pay taxes. A tax deductible donation means you don’t have to pay taxes on that amount.
• Avoid cash donations: Cash can be lost or stolen easily; credit cards are best for documenting and tax purposes. When giving online, make sure the site is secure (look for an address that begins https: the s stands for secure.

If you suspect you’ve been contacted by a scammer, consider filing a complaint with the FTC. There is no need for your hard-earned dollars to go a company filing bankruptcy.

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