Doing 'Giving Tuesday' safely: BBB shares tips to avoid charity scams
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Tuesday, Nov. 27 marks the 11th annual Giving Tuesday, encouraging generosity through charity across the year.
Despite the day's positive connotation, each year, concerns about fake charities arise, especially with many campaigns happening online.
"Any time that donations are being sought after, scammers will try to stay a step ahead of that," said Lisa Schiller, the spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Wisconsin.
The Better Business Bureau sees an uptick in claims about illegitimate charities this time of year.
"They like to create websites that sound familiar but are not really the legitimate website that you believe you are donating to," Schiller said.
The Better Business Bureau says to be wary of imposter websites attempting to cause confusion.
"Sometimes it's just a matter of a spelling error or one letter being off in the URL," Schiller said.
Schiller recommends givers use resources like Give.org, where they can copy and paste a URL to find information about an organization.
"You can check on a charity and find out where your money is going," Schiller says.
Another Giving Tuesday tip: pay by check or credit card whenever possible to have protection from your bank.
"You want to avoid paying by cryptocurrency, pay apps, or cash," Schiller said.
It's also important to verify an organization's tax exempt 501c3 status. Do your research before donating.
"You have to make sure that your charity is legitimate, and that your money is going towards an organization who puts the money towards the mission for which it was created," Schiller said.
If you come across an illegitimate charity, make sure to report it to the BBB's scam tracker.
In Wisconsin, you should also verify the charity is registered through the state's Department of Financial Institutions.