ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York officials say telemarketers keep an
average 60 cents of every dollar they raise for charity in the state.

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says some charities across New York received even less than 39 cents of each dollar. He's introducing a new tool on his Web site so donors can check where their money goes.

The site allows potential donors to easily search charities by name, the general type of charity - such as "police" - and by region of the state.

A report by Cuomo's office says telemarketers raised nearly $205 million on behalf of 444 New York charities in 2008.

Of that, about $124 million was paid to the telemarketers as profits, fees and other costs of the campaigns.

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On the Net: http://bartlett.oag.state.ny.us/pfc/

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)