Be Cautious When Giving to a Charity

  
 
With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, many of us want to donate money to help support the cause, but sometimes people are out just to scam you out of your money.

The Better Business Bureau cautions you to avoid being scammed. When donating to charities, make sure they are legitimate. Confirm the charity’s corporation partners by checking online and verifying sources. Do not give cash and make a check out to the organization and not to the individual. It is best not to give out your credit card number or other personal information in response to unsolicited donation requests. Keep records of your donations with receipts, canceled checks or bank statements to document your giving for taxes.

With it being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, be cautious of people claiming to represent national breast cancer charities. The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month organization does not solicit contributions and has not authorized the use of its name for solicitation purposes. You should contact charities directly to confirm solicitations.

For more information or to report a charity scam, call the Indiana Better Businss Bureau at 1-866-INDYBBB.