Better Business Bureau: How to check if a charity is real before giving

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - As charities continue to face financial challenges, your support and generosity are more important than ever.

Rising costs, reduced funding from traditional fundraising events, and increased demand for services mean many organizations are relying on donors to help them carry out their missions.

What you'll learn:

• How to verify charities and check accountability with BBB Give.org.
• How to spot red flags in fundraising appeals, including vague or overly emotional messaging.
• How to safely navigate phone, email, and social media donation requests.

For many, the last quarter of the year is often the most important for charities in terms of the volume of anticipated donations.

However, it is strongly recommended to verify if the organization meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

Use Give.org's search engine to look for both nationally-soliciting and regionally-soliciting charities that have been the subject of a report by either the BBB Wise Giving Alliance or a Better Business Bureau.

Here are some additional recommended tips.

Spotting potential problems in charity appeals

Charitable appeals often address emotional and urgent issues, such as providing relief after natural disasters, helping communities impacted by inflation, or supporting vulnerable children.

If an appeal moves you emotionally, make sure it clearly identifies the specific programs and activities the charity will fund. Vague descriptions of how donations are used can be a red flag.

Donors should also be cautious with phone solicitations. While many organizations use calls successfully to reach previous supporters, some may contact people who have never donated.

These "cold calls" can carry high fundraising costs. Never feel pressured to make an on-the-spot donation. Take the time to research the organization, visit its website, and check BBB Give.org for reports before giving.

Online outreach is another area to approach carefully. Charities may connect through email, social media messages, or targeted campaigns.

Just because a charity appears online or on social media does not mean it has been vetted. Always research a charity before donating, just as you would with any other contribution.

How to give with confidence

• Watch out for charity name confusion. Be alert to questionable groups seeking to confuse donors with names that sound similar to charities you know.
• Resist pressure to give on the spot. Don't give in to excessive pressure on the phone to make an immediate donation.
• Find out more about the charity. The charity's website provides access to information on its programs, board roster and finances. Groups may also be verified through government registration. About 40 of the 50 states in the U.S. require charities to register with the with the Attorney General's Office or Secretary of State's Office. In Canada, check with the Canada Revenue Agency.
• Watch out for vague program descriptions. Be alert for overly emotional charitable appeals that say little about what the charity intends to do to address the problems identified.
• Check for BBB charity accreditation. Visit charity reports on Give.org to verify if the organization meets the 20 BBB Standard for Charity Accountability (i.e., a BBB Accredited Charity.) There is no charge to charities for accreditation.

For more information

Visit BBB Wise Giving Alliance's website (Give.org) for smart giving tips, and check out this video from the Federal Trade Commission about making your donations count.  

Been scammed? Report it to the Arizona Attorney General's office: https://www.azag.gov/consumer, or the California Attorney General's Office: https://oag.ca.gov/consumers

Go to bbb.org for trusted Accredited Businesses when hiring.

If you have been scammed or targeted for a scam, help us warn others by filing a report at BBB.org/ScamTracker.