COLUMBUS – Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday have come and gone so now it’s time to take a break from buying and donate to your favorite charity.
Be generous with your pocketbook, but also be wise. That’s the advice of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office on GivingTuesday.
While charities use the annual observance to seek support from donors, scammers may also be trying to compete for contributions.
“We want people to be generous, we want people to be charitable, but we also want people to be cautious. So, perform your due diligence and make sure that the organization you are giving to is what it represents itself to be,” spokesman David O’Neil said.
According to the Better Business Bureau, about 65 percent of Americans don’t investigate where their money is going prior to donating to charity.
O’Neil recommends researching a charity to ensure it is legitimate and determining how much of the donation will go specifically to the cause.
“Don’t assume that charitable recommendations on social media have already been vetted,” he said. “Donors should research the charity. And they should also be cautious of look-alike websites and charities with names that sound similar to well-known organizations; sometimes, they are simply intended to confuse donors.”
Charities can be verified online through the Ohio Attorney General’s website, as well as BBB Wise Giving Alliance, CharityNavigator and IRS Select Check.