BBB Tip of the Week

In the wake of tragedy or disaster, scammers pretending to be from charitable organizations will take advantage of those eager to donate money and resources for relief. As you consider donating for wildfire relief efforts or as part of your regular charitable activities, you can avoid such predators and make sure your donation will be used how you intend.

Better Business Bureau offers the following advice for smart charitable giving:

• Be suspicious of those approaching you and ask questions. Whether on the phone or in person, you can ask if the person is a paid fundraiser, whom they work for, and what percentage of your donation goes to the charity and to the fundraiser. Even if they have a good answer for every question, you don’t have to donate on the spot.

• Avoid high-pressure tactics. It is OK to tell them that you need time to research and consider your options. It is also OK to walk away.

• Check out the charity before donating at BBB Wise Giving Alliance at give.org/for-donors/, Charity Watch at charitywatch.org, and GuideStar at guidestar.org.

• Be skeptical before being generous. A charity that emerges during a disaster may be legitimate but may also have more difficulty in allocating funds and goods.

• Consider donating to reputable charities, such as the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. National and international charities may have several relief efforts going on at the same time, so designate your donation.

• Do not give your personal and financial information, including credit card and bank account numbers, to an unsolicited requestor or unverified charity. Once you know the charity is reputable, you can feel secure calling in your donation, giving through the mail, or donating online at a secure website (those that start with “https”).

• Never mail cash or send a wire transfer to a charity. Also, cash does not automatically create a record for tax purposes like checks and credit cards.

When donating goods, check with the charity to see what is on the list for needed items.

If you experience a charity scam, you can report it to BBB at www.bbb.org/ eastern-washington or by calling (509) 455-4200.

Erin T. Dodge, BBB editor