The Better Business Bureau of West Michigan is advising consumers how to give safely this holiday season. Spokesperson Katie Grevious tells WSJM News scam charities will try to rip people off this time of year using all kinds of tactics. Your best defense is to do research.
“Make sure that you understand what that charity is going to do with the money that you give to them, and make sure that they’re reputable,” Grevious said. “The Better Business Bureau, we accredit charities and we hold them to a very high standard. You can check that out at Give.org and see where those reputable charities are.”
Grevious says some fake charities will give themselves names that are close to legitimate charities, so be careful. She says a supposed charity that contacts you and is pushing for an immediate donation may be trouble, and you should tell them you’ll think about it. Give.org has report cards for charities that rank them in several ways, including transparency.
