Don’t Get Scrooged this Holiday Season -Check into Charities Before Handing Over a Check

BBBEspecially around the holidays, Hoosiers are encouraged to think of the less fortunate and give what they can to charitable organizations. The Better Business Bureau serving central Indiana proposes that people look at the big picture when choosing a charity.

Avoid focusing on only one aspect of an organization. The BBB suggests donors consider several factors when assessing a charity’s accountability, such as finances, governance, fund-raising, effectiveness reporting and appeal accuracy. Don’t allow your good nature to be taken advantage of, scam artists love to prey on unsuspecting altruists, double-check a charity’s credibility if something seems fishy.

Common red-flags include high-pressured appeals, door-to-door-visits and people who refuse to provide a receipt for the donation. To be absolutely sure your donation ends up where it’s intended to go, research charities at the following websites: bbb.org, Give.org and CharityNavigator.org.