Seeing all the devastation in Los Angeles County and thousands of people losing everything may make you want to help by donating money, but beware of scam artists.
These tips should help you make sure your donation makes it to those who need it — and not scammers.
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Unfortunately, scammers are waiting for opportune times like natural disasters to bank on your feelings.
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“Know who you’re dealing with before you give out those funds,” Manuel Garcia from the Better Business Bureau said.
Scammers are getting very smart and are using all avenues. According to the BBB, scam artists will target you through text, email, pop-ups on websites and social media.
“Be careful where you're clicking, especially on social media," Garcia said. "You come across an ad, and you click on it. Please find out where you are landing. Check the URL, and make sure the company is legitimate because it is very easy to create a fake website.”
By clicking on a fake website or a suspicious text, Garcia said, you are also taking the risk of ending up in the hands of hackers.
Garcia said to beware of phone calls asking for donations.
“If that phone call is legit, they’re going to allow you to verify before you donate. There shouldn’t be any high pressure when you receive these phone calls of donating at the moment," Garcia said.
To make sure you’re donating to a legitimate organization, the BBB recommends checking the charity on Give.org or go with well-established organizations such as the following:
- The American Red Cross
- Salvation Army
- California Fire Foundation
- The California Community Foundation
You can also donate at Vons and Albertsons stores at checkout.
Another tip when researching a charity, find out how much of your donation is going to the cause and how much to administrative fees.
“It should be 70 to 75 cents to the cause. Those are good charities that help organizations,” Garcia told NBC 7.
A lot of online fundraisers are being passed around social media. GoFundMe is working to verify the fundraisers on its site and putting them on a centralized hub.
