People feel most generous around the holidays, and many feel the need to make a difference.

But when an unselfish donation goes to a scammer accused of trying to rip off an entire community, it can ruin the spirit of the festivities.

Tami Phillips, a longtime resident of the Santa Clarita Valley and vice president and chief development officer of The Midnight Mission on L.A.’s Skid Row, reported to KHTS AM-1220 that a young man was soliciting donations for a nonprofit with a revoked status.

Since Phillips is knowledgeable of the resources available to research the nonprofit in-depth, she was able to do so and found a practice that is, unfortunately, all too common around the holidays, she said.

Phillips was able to go onto the Attorney General’s website for the state of California to research the name of the nonprofit she allegedly encountered outside a Santa Clarita Walmart, claiming to be First Step Transitional Living Foundation.

She found that the status of the nonprofit had been revoked back in February 2016; however, the solicitor outside the retail store offered a permit valid until the end of the year sanctioning the organization to raise money.

She was also able to take a photo of the solicitation permit in which it states: “Proceeds will be used for helping feed and provide housing for homeless men, women, and children.”

The permit date is valid until December 8, 2016. However, Phillips’ research indicated that status has been revoked since the beginning of the year.

First Step Transitional Living Foundation could not be reached to comment on the situation because the phone number found is no longer linked to the organization.

Phillips also reminded people about the importance of only giving to charities with a positive reputation, giving to charities that you know and doing research to check if they’re valid.