The BBB is advising consumers to be wary of giving help in the wake of the Nepal earthquake relief operations. The massive disaster, which struck the region over the weekend, has affected thousands of families with over 4,000 reportedly dead. The death toll is still rising.
As donations continue to pour, the consumer group, through different media outlets, is telling the public to be on the lookout for schemers who will take advantage of anyone's goodwill.
"Unfortunately, we've seen time and time again that scammers will try to take advantage of the generosity of the public after a disaster," said the president and CEO of BBB, Steve J. Bernas, in a report from CBS.
To safeguard yourself from getting scammed into donating to a bogus campaign, the BBB, along with the Federal Trade Commission, share the following tips:
1. Give only to a charity you trust. Take a moment to research the organization before giving your money. Check this page provided by BBC for accredited organizations.
2. Check if the group you would like to align with has an actual ground presence, so that your donation will reach the intended recipients. Charity groups usually post announcements about their relief operations on their site or on official social media accounts.
3. Be cautious when giving donations online. Some groups with access to "charitable" organizations are easily set up on the Internet. If you want to help, don't resort to third-party online sites or social media accounts. Go directly to the organization's website.
4. Scammers will convince you to donate by wiring funds, but legitimate groups almost always have secured platforms for receiving donations online using credit cards. Take note of this when giving out personal information on the Internet. The URL of the site should either be "https" or "shttp," which means that transactions are encrypted or secure.
5. Don't be easily swayed by pleas from social media, as there may be unscrupulous individuals claiming to be victims or relatives of victims.
6. As much as possible, give tangible goods such as food, blankets, clothing, slippers, medical supplies, baby products. Legitimate organizations develop sophisticated logistics for transporting and distributing these goods.
