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 Vallarta Living | August 2007 
Be Smart When Giving to Victims of Disasters
 Dave Cherry - azcentral.com
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| | A woman stands outside her house damaged by Hurricane Dean in the coastal town of Tecolutla, in the Mexican state of Veracruz August 23, 2007. Heavy rains from Hurricane Dean pounded western Mexico on Thursday after the storm killed at least 10 people in a three-day rampage across the breadth of the country. (Rueters/Tomas Bravo) |
Disasters in Mexico and Peru may have you in a giving mood. Now that people around the world need your help; please protect yourself. Your instincts to help could be used against you by scam artists.
It is only natural to want to open your hearts and your wallets to the people in Peru and Mexico. When we see pictures of the ruble left behind in Peru after the quake, or of the damage Hurricane Dean's winds and rains have caused in Chetumal, Mexico, many people feel they need to do something to help.
Don't let scam artists take advantage of your generosity. The best way to provide immediate help to these victims around the world is to donate money directly to established international relief organizations - like the Red Cross.
Don't give to solicitors for these, or any, charity. Solicitors take a portion of the proceeds to cover their costs - this leaves less money to help actual victims.
Check out any charity before you donate. The Better Business Bureau website www.give.org will answer just about any question you have about any charity’s policies and reputation.
Donate to charities you know and trust. Watch out for those that spring up overnight with names that sound like known organizations. Some phony charities use similar-sounding names to trick consumers into giving to them. Some smaller charities are legitimate but they are so new that they lack the proper infrastructure to provide any concrete help to victims.
Do not send cash. For security and tax purposes, give only by check or credit card. If giving by check, write the official name of charity on the check - never the name of the solicitor. If you are paying by credit card, it is best to do so online in a secured environment.
Ask for identification if you are approached in person. Legitimate fundraisers will always ID themselves if you request.
No legitimate relief organization will ask for your social security number, so don't give it out. |
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