Tips on Avoiding Donation Scams

[Flar's Freyja]

This article has some good points and a link to info where at least one scam has already occurred in Arizona. Disgusting, but it happens:

Beware of Katrina Scams (http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art35272.asp/zzz)

[Cinnamon Girl]

I was listening to an NPR show the other day and this organization came up: http://www.charitynavigator.org/ (http://www.charitynavigator.org/) - useful not just for Katrina but any time you are considering donating to a charity.

[Flar's Freyja]

I was listening to an NPR show the other day and this organization came up: http://www.charitynavigator.org/ (http://www.charitynavigator.org/) - useful not just for Katrina but any time you are considering donating to a charity.

*nods* I think that's the site that got suspicious and identiified one of the scammers.

I heard something even more disturbing on NPR today. For those who aren't familiar with NPR, it's National Public radio. It's talk radio about news, politics, the arts and culture and is a reliable source.

Some of the scammers are sending e-mails with links in them that can wreak all kinds of havoc if you click on them. They can do everything from making your comp send spam to gathering your personal info.

So, as usual, if you get a suspicious charity e-mail, absolutely do not click on any links.

[Garnet]

http://www.give.org (http://www.give.org)

It's run by the Better Business Bureau to help people determine if a charity is legitimate or not, & if it is legit, how good it is (does most of the funds collected go to helping people, to administration or public relations, etc).