In the wake of the earthquake disaster in Haiti, Americans are donating via text message more than ever before. Your local Better Business Bureau advises donors that giving through text can be a safe and easy way to give—but you should still use caution.
Within days following the disaster in Haiti, it was widely reported that more than $3 million was donated through text message to such organizations as the Red Cross and others.
“The Haiti disaster is the first time we’ve seen texting used as a successful fundraising tool to assist with recovery efforts,” said Tim Burns, Public Affairs Director for the Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Michigan. “Texting can be very useful for allowing people to quickly and conveniently donate to the relief efforts, but it is important to remember, as with any tool, it can also be misused by people as well. Past experience has shown us that after every disaster in addition to a wave of generosity to help those in need there is also a flood of scams and schemes looking to profit from other peoples’ misfortune. With that in mind, donors need to make sure they do their due diligence to make sure their money is going to trustworthy charities.”
BBB offers the following tips on giving through text messages:
- Confirm the number directly with the source. While the Better Business Bureau has not yet heard of any scams relying on text message donations, this emerging method for donating is ripe for exploitation by scammers.
- Be aware that text donations are not immediate. Depending on the text message service used by the charity, text donations can take anywhere from 30-90 days to be transferred to the designated charity. If you would like the donation to be received immediately by the charity, you can give online through the charity Web site, by calling the charity directly or by sending a check in the mail.
- Review the fine print. When you give to a charity through text message, you might also be signing yourself up to receive text message updates from the charity in the future. A charity should include the details of its text campaign on its Web site so you can see what you’re signing up for and how you can opt out.
- Research the charity. Giving wisely to a charity isn’t just about making sure that the solicitation isn’t coming from scammers. Wise donors make sure their donations are going to charities that are best equipped to help in the relief efforts and will responsibly use the money for its intended purpose.
The Better Business Bureau has compiled a list of charities which are seeking to provide assistance in response to the earthquake in Haiti and meet BBB Standards for Charity Accountability at http://www.bbb.org/us/haiti-earthquake-relief/
“Be wary of phony solicitations meant to mimic legitimate aid groups or that tell stories that bring tears to your eyes but don’t explain how your donation will actually be used to aid victims of this disaster,” noted Burns. “Give, but give wisely by checking out the Better Business Bureau’s charity evaluations to ensure that you are donating to organizations that can do the most good in this time of great need.”
For more advice on donating to the Haitian relief efforts, being a smart shopper, and avoiding scams and schemes become a fan of your local BBB on the social networking Web site Facebook at www.facebook.com/myBBB.
The Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Michigan is a non-profit organization with the purpose of assisting in the protection of consumers and businesses from fraud and unethical business practices in the local marketplace. In addition to its recognized dispute resolution services, BBB maintains reliability reports on the customer service history of more than 80,000 local businesses and provides consumer education materials on numerous topics. BBB provides its services free to the public and its service territory stretches across Eastern Michigan from Ann Arbor through Metropolitan Detroit, Lansing, Flint, upward to Alpena, and covers the entire Upper Peninsula of the state.