BBB Tip of the Week
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance advises anyone seeking to donate money or goods to the Nepal earthquake relief effort to do so wisely. You can find a list of over 30 charities that have been accredited by the BBB WGA and are collecting donations to assist in Nepal relief efforts at go.bbb.org/nepal.
If you are looking to donate to a charity not on the list, be sure to look out for signs of a scam. A scammer pretending to be a charity is likely to engage in the following tactics:
• Refuse to provide detailed information about the organization’s identity, mission, operating costs and how the donation will be used.
• Won’t provide proof that donations are tax-deductible.
• Use a name similar to a well-known charitable organization.
• Use high-pressure tactics to get you to donate without doing research.
• Ask for cash or wire transfers.
• Offer to send a courier or overnight delivery service to collect money immediately.
• Email you to thank you for a donation you didn’t give.
The Better Business Bureau offers the following advice when researching a charitable organization:
• Be cautious of emails and spam messages linking to disaster relief organizations.
• Check with the experts. You can find reputable charities at the BBB Wise Giving Alliance at www.give.org. Other charity review websites include Charity Watch at charitywatch.org and GuideStar at guidestar.org.
• Be wary of claims that 100 percent of donations will assist relief victims. All charitable organizations have operational expenses.
• Find out if the charity is providing direct aid and already has a presence in the affected area, or if it is raising money for other aid groups. If the latter, you may wish to avoid the middleman and give directly to those who can give immediate relief.
• When giving clothing, food or in-kind donations, ask about the charity’s ability to distribute the aid properly. Immediate needs may not be met if transportation and distribution channels are not already in place.
You can check with the IRS for an organization’s eligibility to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions at http://1.usa.gov/1GyPl1o.
For more information about charitable giving, visit www.give.org. For information about local charities, visit bbb.org or call (509) 455-4200.
By Erin T. Dodge, BBB editor