TOLEDO, Ohio — Giving Tuesday is a major time to support charity and it's also a time for fraudsters to take advantage of people's generosity.
Taking place on the Tuesday after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the Giving Tuesday movement has helped raise more than one billion dollars for online charitable giving worldwide.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost says the first thing to do is to research the organization before donating and there's a tool that can help.
"My office on its website has a section called, Research Charities, " Yost said. "Now it's not exhaustive. There can be scams that we don't know about. Bad actors, but there's information there that can help guide and may give you a yellow caution flag on some people."
Yost added you should ask about fees and how much money goes to the charity vs. how much goes to the executive director of the fundraiser.
Never give cash, gift cards or personal information.
Additional Tips for Donating on Giving Tuesday
Watch out for name similarities. When charities seek support for the same cause, their names are often similar. Before you give, be sure you have the exact name of the charity to avoid a case of mistaken identity.
Be wary of emotional appeals. Marketers have been known to exploit the holidays to make emotional pleas to donors. Instead of making an impulse decision based on emotion, do some research first to verify that your selected charity operates ethically.
Avoid charities that don’t disclose. Although participation is voluntary, charities that don’t disclose any of the requested information to BBB WGA raise a critical red flag for donors. Visit Give.org to find out if your selected charity is nondisclosure.
Research tax status. Don’t assume every organization claiming to do good is a tax-exempt charity. You can check an organization’s tax status with the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool. Also, make sure your contribution is tax-deductible.
Scammers are also using a toy’s popularity to trick parents out of their money.
Tips to Avoid Toy Scams
- Only buy toys from reputable stores and websites. The best way to avoid getting scammed when purchasing toys is to buy them directly from a seller you know and trust.
- Don’t be fooled by extra-low prices. Unreasonably low prices are a red flag for a scam on many products. Avoid making a purchase from a retailer you aren’t familiar with just because the price sounds too good to be true – it probably is!
- Research before you buy. If a company seems legitimate but you aren’t familiar with it, be extra careful with your personal information. Before offering up your name, address, and credit card information, make sure the company has a working customer service number
See BBB.org/ShoppingOnline for more online shopping tips. For more about avoiding scams this holiday season, check out BBB.org/Holiday-Tips.
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