The people of Acadiana are always willing to give of their time, their talent and their money, and often, scammers are waiting in the wings to take advantage of our giving spirit.

The Better Business of Acadiana wants to remind anyone who is willing to give that you need to thoroughly check out the person, the charity or organization you are giving to before handing over your hard earned money.

Better Business Bureau of Acadiana President and CEO Sharane Gott says,

"Scammers are opportunists, and they will take advantage of whatever is in the news. We expect to see fundraising appeals on social media and crowdfunding sites. Some will be from well-intentioned people who are not directly involved, but some may be from scammers. BBB is urging people to check out the source before donating."

The following are several tips that can help you know what groups are legitimate:

  • You can check with the Acadiana Better Business Bureau about what information they have about the person or organization.
  • Be cautious when giving online. Make sure you have checked out the organization before you give. Make sure you don't follow a link or spam.
  • Don't rely on a blogger or a website to give you information about a charity; check out that organization for yourself.
  • Remember that some crowdfunding sites don't check out people who are asking for your money.
  • See if the charity has expressed exactly what is going to be done with your money.
  • If the organization is planning to raise money and then give it to the charity, you might consider just consider giving straight to the charity after you have checked them out.

You can always check out the Better Business Bureau's website by clicking here.

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