Sad as it may be, thieves know the best way to loosen your wallet is to pull on your heart strings.

Lawrence County law enforcement agencies are often left to deal with scams, fraud and downright theft coming from groups or individuals claiming to be raising money for a benevolent or charitable cause.

But this can be prevented if people put their heads in front of their hearts.

These scams can be individuals going door-to-door, telephone solicitation or even through e-mail.

The key is to use your head and do your homework. Most reputable organizations have good websites or other methods for getting in touch with someone. Local groups often include a friend or neighbor, someone you trust who can tell you exactly what is going on.

Anyone considering making a donation to an individual they are unfamiliar with, or an organization they do not have clear ties to, should ask a lot of questions and ensure that the solicitors are who they say they are.

Nothing is wrong with a healthy dose of caution.

This is a small community and there are countless legitimate fundraisers and charities in need of a helping hand. We shouldn’t stop supporting those but asking a few questions can help weed out the cheats from the good causes.