What should you do if you get a solicitation saying you’ve won $6,000 in a sweepstakes? NOTHING! This is the hottest thing right now in the fake charity circuit. Lots of charities rely on fundraisers, so the job of the solicitation is to dupe you into believing you are giving money to a charity. So, the notice will typically ask you for a $5 or $10 donation as a “gift.” Once you give the money, you are entered you into a sweepstakes. And most people think they’re doing a good deed by entering. Winning the prize is just icing on the cake. But this is a total scam. If you get a solicitation in the mail that says, “You Have Won!,” don’t buy into it. Unless you have first hand knowledge about an organization, always ask them to send you literature. Most likely they’ll hang up quickly. And check out charities through the “Wise Giving Alliance” at give.org.