The London Daily Mail recently ran an article about fake homeless beggars on city streets who actually make good incomes, often from tourists. Of course, many you see in in your travels are truly homeless for various reasons, including alcoholism, drugs and mental illnesses.

However, whether you’re a tourist or resident who often encounters the fake or real homeless, giving cash is not the best way to help. It will only keep the crooked ones in business, as well as increase the problems of the truly destitute addicts and those with mental illnesses.

If you feel concern for street people in your neighborhood or on your travels, most effectively help them by donating to legitimate charities, such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army. Those and other community organizations need your contributions so that the scourge of homelessness can be dealt with most effectively.