There are only 34 days left of 2016, and if you plan on making a charitable contribution before the year’s end, be cautious of scammers.
Dreama Jensen from the Better Business Bureau says it’s the busiest time of year for organizations to seek donations, and you want to make sure who you’re dealing with is legitimate.
Scammers can often pose as an organization and choose a similar name to fool you.
For the BBB, a group must meet 20 standards to become an accredited charity. One example: transparency about what the money is actually used for.
“The important thing to do is check that organization out, each year that you are going to deal with them, unless it is one that you feel has been established for a long time,” suggests Jensen.
To look up charities, head to the BBB’s website give.org. You can get a full report for the organization, and learn why they might not meet the accreditation requirements, then decide whether to proceed.
