Thousands
of people are suffering in the Philippines due to the one of the world’s worst
disaster in the modern history. There are some alleged estimates that the
number of deaths reached as high as 10,000 but as of the last count 2,000 are
feared dead.
The
devastating news
lead every casual news consumer to contribute to any sort of financial aid. New
technology and social media have made sending $1 or $10 to “charitable”
organizations easier than ever.
“One
of the problems is that we’ve entered into the digital age with a high level of
trust,” Angie Barnett, president of the Better Business Bureau of Greater
Maryland, said.
Scam
artists that meant to get money out of
donations often get convincing photographs, or videos from the websites of
reputable organizations to appear legitimate.
“Some
have similar sounding names to big organizations… that’s a red flag,” Raymund
Flandez, a staff writer covering the intersection of technology and charity for
The Chronicle of Philanthropy, said.
THURSDAY
@ 11 | Undeniable facts about an unregistered charity organization (click)
The
“Red Cross of the United States” is not the same as the American Red Cross, for
example.
The
number of website addresses containing the words “Haiyan,” “typhoon,” “disaster
aid,” “Philippines,” and “relief” has soared, Barnett said.
The
aid delays for up to 2 million people in remote locations of the Philippines
are melting the hearts and wallets across the country.
Better
Business
Bureau of Greater Maryland released a list of the top five mistakes people make
when donating to charity after a natural disaster.
• Do
not make a donation decision only basing on the charity’s name and send
donations to inexperienced relief efforts.
Stand
by with one standard rule; don’t go with a charity in which the domain name
contains the name of the disaster itself. So don’t give to “HaiyanRelief.com”
or “HelpTheVictimsofHaiyan.com.”
“It
could be a start-up group with little experience or a questionable effort
seeking to gain confidence through its title,” Barnett said. “If in doubt, ask
for the organization’s Form 990, a tax return charities file annually with the
IRS. This form provides transparency in the dollars raised – and where they are
directed.”
• Gather
clothing and goods without verifying that items can be used.
Relief
organizations often prefer to purchase goods near the location of the disaster
to help speed the rate of delivery, according to the Better Business Bureau.
Consider the cost of shipping extensive cargo long distances. Cash is king.
MISTAKE #4: RESPONDING TO ONLINE & SOCIAL
MEDIA APPEALS WITHOUT CHECKING.
Facebook
inserted a direct link to send $10 to the American Red Cross to provide aid for
Haiyan relief as of November 13.The American Red Cross is among the most
trusted organizations globally so it better to donate to them directly.
While
this may not apply to Facebook, “Common
tactics used by scam artists include phishing email with alleged links to
disaster video which if clicked, releases malware into your personal computer,”
according to the BBB. “Social media mentions of bogus donation websites which
collect money and shut down without a trace.”
Barnett
said scammers are in the business of “throwing up websites” and “collecting
credit card numbers.”
• Do
not donate without doing your homework
To
make the vetting process easier, Flandez suggested the following three charity
rating websites, which perform regular due diligence:
“More
than that, do a Google search to see if they’ve made any strides in what they
do. … That’s basic due diligence,” Flandez said
Readers
can report possible charity scams here .
Guidestar
spokeswoman Lindsay Nichols said, “We all give with our heart, but unless we
give with our head too, we’re essentially wasting our hard-earned money.”
Guidestar’s
tips for giving with your heart and your head can be found here .
