Reports of suspicious solicitors going door-to-door is causing some Santa Clarita residents to worry about the legitimacy of their causes.

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Public Information Officer Shirley Miller said that if residents are approached by a solicitor, there are certain precautions that can be taken in order to verify the legitimacy of the organization that the solicitor represents.

Through the state of California Office of the Attorney General, a link has been created that allows concerned would-be donors to check the validity of a charity or nonprofit organization.

Since soliciting is not illegal but does require a permit, the link, oag.ca.gov/charities, not only allows the user to check the legitimacy of a certain charity, but also provides an opportunity to complain if a solicitor is rude or acts aggressively.

“If solicitors show suspicious behavior, if they are aggressive, if they are confrontational, that’s something you should report to the sheriff’ station,” Miller said.

Miller also said it is advisable to do research on any organization that you are considering donating money to and always ask for a receipt if you decide to donate.

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“The number one thing you can do is resist any pressure to give money on the spot,” Miller said. “You can always think about it and feel free to ask questions. Ask them about the name of the charity, where they are located and what the money will be spent on.”

In a recent report, a woman claiming to be with United States Mission, an organization that provides sober living to recovering drug addicts, snapped a picture of a home that refused to donate money.

The resident of that home then took a picture of the woman claiming to represent U.S. Mission and posted it to social media.

“She was quite irritated when I asked what company/charity she worked for and it took her a second to remember what it was,” said the concerned resident.

The post garnered reactions from several Santa Clarita residents, some of them saying they had a similar experience with the women in question.

“This lady just came to my house today,” said another resident. “My husband answered the door and she wouldn’t tell him what charity she was from. He said ‘no thank you’ but she kept pushing for a donation.”

Since the representatives from U.S. Mission who are going door-to-door to ask for donations are recovering addicts, an alias is allowed for safety purposes.

“Some of the addicts have ex-boyfriends or ex-husbands who are looking for them and they prefer not to use their real name,” said Scott Little, house manager for the U.S. Mission Canoga Park location.

In response to why she had taken a picture of a house that declined to donate, Little said the women in question was “just taking pictures of the Christmas lights. We’ll ask them not to do that.”

Miller said that a strong neighborhood watch can greatly help keep your neighborhood safe and also assist local law enforcement solve crimes.

“If someone in your neighborhood is acting suspiciously, get a description of the person, a vehicle description and a license plate number if it is safe to do so,” Miller said. “Be aware and be cautious.”