The Better Business Bureau is urging consumers to use caution when shopping, or giving, online this Holiday Season. With Giving Tuesday today, consumers interested in holiday donations should also be weary of online giving. According to Better Business Bureau Regional Director Joey Keyes, when in doubt, ask.
Keyes said that most legitimate charities will be happy to accept donations later, so there’s no need to cave in a high pressure situation. Additionally, it’s important to be aware of what percent of each donation actually goes to the cause. While all charities require some overhead to operate, Keyes recommends learning what percentage of each donation goes to the organization and deciding on an individual basis if it’s too much. Keyes also recommends that consumers inspect websites before giving away personal information as scammers often create fake charity websites to trick people. Some things to look out for are strange domain names (.org, .com) or misspellings. If your’re unsure, call the charity and confirm. More tips can be found on the BBB’s website here!
You can hear a full interview with Joey Keyes here!