ST. LOUIS — The wildfires in Maui, Hawaii have a lot of people looking for ways to help, including financial contributions to victims.
But, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning you to be careful about organizations that pose as charities that want to pocket money you send for recovery efforts.
The BBB provided a list of accredited charities, which pass 20 standards for governance, effectiveness and fundraising practices.
It advised using the American Red Cross, Direct Relief, Global Giving or the Salvation Army to make a donation(s). In addition, it advised that if you use another organization, then ...
- Make sure you know the exact name of the organization. Some scammers will use similar names to impersonate a trusted organization and throw you off.
- Know where your money is going. Go to its website or even call to see what disaster relief services you would support.
- Crowdfund carefully. If you plan to donate through crowdfunding, make sure you know and trust the organizer.
- Beware of high-pressure appeals. Watch out for anyone who's urging you to donate instantly. If you get the slightest gut feeling something is off - then wait.
- Donate directly. You should always make a direct donation to the organization, watch out for telemarketers or anything by mail.
The agency also recommended going to Give.org, a BBB Wise Giving Alliance that helps verify the trustworthiness of publicly-soliciting charities, to find other accredited charities.