Quote Originally Posted by gini
.What are your thoughts on the matter.
I think you just have to apply the same standards here as you do anywhere else. Just as you wouldn't give to every agency that sends you a notepad or calendar you don't donate to everyone who has learned how to use the internet. You check the person/agency's past behavior and records, you weigh the emergent nature of the request, and you look for other options to correct the situation. If everything you learn suggests to you that your money would be well spent to assist the person/animal/agency in need then that is what you do. If through your research you find that the "emergency" or the "situation" is not totally the way it is being portrayed, then you may want to suggest other options. Just be aware that those who are looking for the "easy" way out may have some unpleasant responses to your alternative suggestions.