The Virginia Beach Police Department has put out an advisory cautioning residents to think twice before giving to charities that solicit door to door. The advisory singles out the Richmond-based group Teens Against Drug Abuse, which officials say is not authorized to solicit in Virginia.
The group's representatives are frequent visitors in my neighborhood during the summer. The Virginian-Pilot describes the group's operations thus: teenagers, toting Rubbermaid containers filled with candy and other snacks, are dropped off in residential areas and sent out on their own to sell their wares door to door. The kids tell customers they've pledged to stay off drugs and are hoping to sell enough snacks to qualify for a prize, usually a trip to an amusement park.
The police advisory does not indicate if Teens Against Drug Abuse is operating a scam. The group doesn't have authority to solicit in Virginia and has an unknown filing status with the IRS.
To find out if a charity is legitimate, research the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services charity database.
Link:
Teens Against Drug Abuse website.
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