Be Aware of Online Donation Scams
Every time there is a tragedy somewhere in the world, caring people like you want to get out your wallet to help make a difference. As sad and indifferent as the world may seem at times, it warms the heart to know that at their most basic, people still care about other people and they cannot stand to see suffering.
When disaster strikes, the other side of humanity comes out as well. Some will use that disaster to try to trick you into giving your money to them instead of the charity you were searching out to give donations online. Give when you feel you can, but think about to whom you are giving.
Money can get to where it is needed faster than ever thanks to the ability to make donations online and through telephone text messages. The moment you hear about something and you feel you want to give, you can get to a web site within a matter of minutes to make donations online.
Sadly, you do have to make sure you are really giving money to a charity that is going to make a difference. Some charities are real, but they do not allocate the money the way you think they are going to.
You can go to places like the Better Business Bureau to see which charities are not only real, but how safe they are. You can also find many sources online to help you understand how each charity uses each dollar it gets.
You can learn about how to make safe donations online and you can learn where your money is going to go. If you find a charity with a name you do not know, you should never consider making donations online through them without thorough research into the company and how they operate. You may find they do not exist or that they do not do what you think they do.
Beware of the charity that pops up out of nowhere in the wake of a disaster. You will not hear about this charity on the news and you will find the web site to be a bit plain and riddled with mistakes.
You may even get emails from such charities asking you for your money. This is when you have to be very careful. It could be that someone is taking donations online, but the only thing or person that is going to benefit is the person sending out the emails.
They take advantage of the good nature of those wishing to make donations online.
What should you do when you want to make donations online? Go with the charities that you have always used and that you know are safe. The Red Cross is always a good choice, or you can donate through local means that you also know you can trust.
Never answer an email or click on a link included. Find the web site on your own, or find a link through a source you know you can trust. That way you know your donations online are going where they are supposed to go and that your dollars are making a difference.
