Devastation from the wildfires ravaging parts of California continues. So many people want to reach out and help, including those right here in Michigan.
The Better Business Bureau Serving Western Michigan has some suggestions or tips that may help Michiganders make thoughtful donations to help victims and avoid any “questionable requests”.
To start, the BBB says make sure the charity you choose is trustworthy by doing your homework. You can search out the charity’s report on give.org. also, look for specific fire relief activities in appeals. The BBB says be wary of relief appeals that have vague program descriptions and don’t explain what activities your support will assist.
They add, review any crowdfunding requests carefully and watch out for those “Click-Bait and Phishing Scams. Online giving scams tend to pop up after a disaster to take advantage of public sympathy.
The BBB advises not clicking on emails, texts or social media links promising to connect you to a familiar charity, instead, go directly to the charity’s website on your own and do your research into the charity before giving. These and more tips can be found at BBB.org.
