Better Business Bureau shares tips on staying safe when making donations

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – Childhood Cancer Awareness is recognized every September by organizations around the world to raise funds for children affected by cancer.

Sydney Waters is the Regional Director for the Better Business Bureau in Cape Girardeau, she references that major charitable movements can sometimes attract scammers looking to cash in on donors’ generosity.

“The very first tip I would give when donating to a charity this month is avoiding any high-pressure tactics,” said Waters.

Donors should be on the lookout for unsolicited messages from misleading organizations that use similar names and branding as trusted nonprofits and send out highly emotional requests for donations.

“It’s important to look out for these things because once you’ve released your personal information, it’s very hard to repair it and get that money back,” said Waters.

She says if you’re planning on donating to the charity this month, do your research first.

“If you’re unfamiliar with a charity, it’s a new charity to you and you’re interested in donating, you can ask for that Form 990, and what that explains is how that charity spends their money and what programs they’re involved with,” she said.

By paying attention to the details and educating yourself on different scams you can be confident your donation is being put to good use.