By Sandra Guile
Better Business Bureau
As far as charitable giving goes, the U.S. is a very generous country. According to recent statistics, Americans donated $390 billion to charities in 2016 to well-established, verified organizations.
A tug on your wallet
Tragedies in the news may prompt a round of crowdfunding, a popular way for members of the general public to start fundraising for a cause they care about. Typically these funds are not being raised by a vetted organization, and they have a tendency to go viral. These campaigns have a tendency to go viral depending on the situation and can attract significant attention and money. A few common crowdfunding platforms include Kickstarter, Indiegogo and GoFundMe.
Woman is working with documents, tablet pc and notebook and selecting crowdfunding.
Since there are so many different types of crowdfunding sites and uses, it’s important to gather as much information as possible before making a contribution. Keep in mind some of them may be for legitimate causes while others are a front for a scam to get your money or personal information. Fake charities may use names, photos, or details that sound authentic, even though those in need may never see a penny of the donations sent in.
Verify the source
Before making a contribution, never assume that the fundraising recommendations on social media or other websites have been assessed or verified as legitimate. Take a few moments to research the cause yourself using bbb.org. Be vigilant when donating in the wake of a tragedy or natural disaster.
Understand that giving money to an individual or family is different than donating to an established charity. The contribution may not be tax deductible, so before making it, ask whether or not it is and verify it with your tax advisor or visit irs.gov.
Make a change, wisely
Donors do make a difference in difficult times, so it’s important to continue supporting causes you care about. Make your contribution count by verifying a source’s trustworthiness before giving by visiting bbb.org, and report any suspicious activity to BBB’s Scam Tracker.
Sandra Guile is the Community Outreach Specialist for BBB. She promotes BBB’s message of marketplace ethics through public speaking engagements, presentations, media relations, press releases, web content, and other written materials. Contact Sandra at (513) 639-9126 or sguile@cincinnati.bbb.org. Your BBB is located at 1 East 4th Street Suite 600 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 – to reach the office, call (513) 421-3015.
