Solicitation letters

I received a solicitation letter from my neighbor. It aimed to raise funds to defray the transportation expenses to Luzon, for some hopeful seminarians. 

The lady who handed me said that any amount would be appreciated.
 
At first I'm hesitant to give, due to the fact that I've met several persons performing the same acts.Every time jeepneys stop on traffic signals,religious order go inside the vehicles and solicit from the passengers. They would step down as soon as the vehicle moves. This poses their safety,considering how dangerous our streets nowadays.

Weeks ago a salesman came into our office.He claimed to be from the northern part of the country and is having promotional activities to selected places. The product he introduced was a handy sewing machine made out of scrap stapler. He demonstrated to us on how to use it. He did convinced everybody and sold a few pieces.

But we suspected that he just cloak himself under a livelihood arm of the government to make his product saleable. We check on the net to verify what he conveyed to us. We found out that the letterhead and the signatory of his introductory letter did not match with the actual profile of the said agency. We were cheated.

I don't want again to be like a careless mouse incarcerated behind traps. I called the number on the solicitation to verify it's contents. I identified myself to a man on the other line, who happened to be the initiator of the campaign. He did confirm their noble cause.

I returned the envelope together with my donation to my neighbor right after our conversation. I prefer not to flaunt my name on the list attached with the letter and remain an anonymous donor.

Our human instinct of being cautious could counteract these kind of manipulations in these times of crisis, when somebody wants to gain at the expense of others. Generosity per se, is not bad. However, when it is abused that would be another story.