(Harrisburg) -- The holiday season is the time of year for many nonprofits to increase their fundraising efforts. But, it's also when scam artists try to prey on those filled with goodwill during the run-up to Christmas and other holidays. So, the state Attorney General's Office is reminding people to do their homework on a charity before writing that check.Nils Frederiksen is with the state Attorney General's Office. He says every charity operating in the commonwealth has to register with the Pennsylvania Department of State, so a wealth of information is available. "The Department of State's website includes information on all those registered charities, as well as general information on how much money they raise, how much money they spend and by a percentage, how much goes to things like administration overhead versus actual services," he says. Frederiksen says people should feel free to ask questions about charitable programs, so they know if they're money is being used locally, going to a national group or funding an international relief effort. He adds it's important to watch out for organizations with names similar to familiar charities and never feel pressured to make a donation.