Beware of Charity Scams

Thanksgiving is over and it's time to finish the year with traditional festivities. Christmas is less than one month away and, sooner than we think, the year 2007 will knock the door. It's also time to give and forgive. But do not forget to be careful -- to ensure that your act of giving goes to right places and becomes maximally effective.

Not long after the Tsunami devastated south Asia in 2004, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) began receiving numerous complaints of charity scams carried out in several ways. Similar complaints were also received in the wake of the relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina last year. That's why they're warning Americans against donating to just anyone.

Charities like the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross have done a great job of providing help to victims of past disasters and it is expected that will happen again. But if you would like to support another charity, check on them first. The best places to check on these charities and how effectively they spend their collection money are these two useful websites:

CharityNavigator.org which ranks some 35 hundred charities with zero to four stars depending on how well they spend donations.

Give.org is a useful website from the Better Business Bureau and offers guidance to donors on making informed giving decisions through their charity evaluations, various "tips" publications, and publishes the quarterly Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Guide .