St. Paul, Minnesota – March 14, 2011 – In the wake of the most powerful earthquake to ever hit Japan, many Americans want to help those impacted by the earthquake and the ensuing tsunami. The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) warns donors to exercise caution when making donations to relief agencies and charities.
“In the face of any disaster, Americans immediately step forward with donations to aid the victims and their families,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen time and time again that scammers will try to take advantage of that generosity, which is why it’s so important to take your time and do your research before donating to relief efforts.”
The BBB offers the following advice for donors to ensure their donations go to trustworthy relief efforts:
• Before donating, visit www.bbb.org/charity to research organizations you’re considering supporting.
• Be sure that the charity is experienced in carrying out relief efforts in the wake of a natural disaster. Although well-intentioned, they may not be able to effectively deliver aid to those in need.
• Don’t give your credit card number or other personal information to a telephone solicitor or in response to an e-mail solicitation.
• Be aware that while donating via text (through your cell phone carrier) is an easy way to give, funds may not be available for relief efforts as quickly as they would be if donations were made directly through the websites of individual charities and relief organizations.
• Don’t give in to excessive pressure for on-the-spot donations. Be especially wary of any offer to send a “runner” to pick up your contribution.
• Be wary of charities that are reluctant to answer reasonable questions about their operations, finances and programs.
• Don’t give cash. Checks or money orders should be made out to the name of the charitable organization, not to the individual collecting the donation.
• Beware fake charities that imitate the name and style of well-known organizations in an attempt to confuse donors.
• Ask what the charity intends to do with any excess contributions remaining once they’ve fully funded the disaster relief activities mentioned in solicitations.
• Be wary of appeals that are long on emotion, but short on describing what the charity will do to address the needs of victims and their families.
• Make sure your contribution is tax deductible: donations should be made to charitable organizations that are tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Go to IRS Publication 78 on the IRS’ website for a current list of all organizations eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable gifts.
For additional information you can trust when making giving decisions, or to view BBB Wise Giving Reports on charities across the nation, start with bbb.org.
