Posted Wednesday, March 23, 2011 in
Alerts/Scams
The
historic earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan has left hundreds of
thousands of people in need of help. If you plan to donate money to assist with
the relief efforts, BBB wants to help you make sure your donation ends up in
the right hands! Here are five tips for making safe donations:
1) Check With BBB –
Visit
www.give.org to research the charity’s reputation
against the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability before making a payment.
BBB can tell you where the money goes and the program’s history.
2) Consider a
Relief-Based Charity - Some organizations may not specialize in disaster
relief, but offer to raise money to pass along to relief organizations. Avoid
the middleman by giving directly to organizations that have a relief-based
presence in the region.
3) Avoid All
Unexpected Donation Requests – If you want to give to a charity involved
in the relief efforts, go directly to that charity’s website. Unexpected emails
and text messages may pop up in inboxes from organizations with official
looking names, but are often scams in disguise.
4) Be Prepared for
a $10 Maximum Text Donation – This is the maximum amount set by most
major wireless carriers. If you want to donate more, consider visiting the
charity’s website directly.
5) Do Not Give Cash - Using a credit card
is recommended, but checks or money orders can be used as long as they are made
out to the name of the charity and not to an individual collecting the
donation.