Giving to vetted, transparent organizations is best option when donating to disaster relief funds

QUINCY — Hurricanes Milton and Helene have caused severe damage in the southern U.S., especially on Florida’s west coast, during the past couple of weeks – leaving many people displaced, without power or recovering from damages to their property.

If you’d like to support hurricane recovery efforts with a donation, it’s best to give to vetted, transparent organizations that are local to areas impacted by the hurricane and are prepared to mobilize quickly.

Keep in mind that scammers sometimes take advantage of urgent events like natural disasters to spread misinformation, impersonate legitimate charities, or create fake fundraisers, especially on social media or crowdfunding sites. Don’t believe everything you see online. Remember that scammers can – and do – make misleading posts using images that are actually from another disaster or are even AI-generated.

In short: Do your research before you donate, give to well-known and vetted organizations, and be cautious on social media. That way, you can trust that your contribution is helping as much as possible.

BBB’s tips for donating wisely:

• Beware of high-pressure appeals. While natural disasters like this one are a time-sensitive crisis, there is always time to take a few minutes to research an organization before donating. Beware of messages that pressure you to donate immediately. If you’re not sure about donating, wait.
• Research in advance. Find out if the charity is experienced in providing emergency relief – established organizations are better equipped to mobilize quickly. Use Give.org to research the charity’s track record and check whether it is a BBB Accredited Charity.
• Consider choosing a BBB accredited charity. BBB Accredited Charities have been carefully vetted against a list of 20 standards for transparency and service to their communities and donors. Check out this list of BBB accredited charities currently supporting hurricane relief.
• Find out if the charity can get to the impacted area. Relief organizations that already have a presence in the southern U.S. will be positioned to provide relief quickly. Read carefully to know where the charity is located and who they serve.
• Know where your money is going. Don’t assume you know what the organization does based on name alone. Research on the charity’s website or ask a representative to provide information about how donations are used.
• Double check the name. Some scammers use similar names to impersonate a trusted organization. Fight impostors by double checking the name of the nonprofit and their web address, email and phone number before giving any money.
• Don’t click links. Be cautious about unsolicited text messages or emails that claim to link to a relief organization, and don’t click the links – they could be a phishing attempt. If you want to give to a charity involved in relief efforts, go directly to the charity’s website.
• Don’t believe every picture you see. Scammers may make an emotional social media post or crowdfunding campaign using images from another disaster or even generated by AI. Their goal is to gain sympathy and trick donors out of their money. Remember that a picture doesn’t guarantee the post is real. Read BBB’s tips on recognizing AI-generated images, and consider using a reverse image search tool like TinEye to check if the photo in the post has been used in other places.
• Be alert to social media scams. Don’t respond to social media appeals without verifying the trustworthiness of the source or the specified charity.
• Crowdfund with caution. If you’d like to donate through a crowdfunding website, remember that it’s safest to give to someone you personally know and trust. Keep in mind that not all crowdfunding sites vet posts. If the poster claims they will forward funds to a charity, consider giving your donation to the charity directly instead.
• Ask before donating items like clothing and food. Local drives to collect clothing and food to send overseas may not be practical. Relief organizations on the ground are often better equipped to obtain what is needed and distribute it effectively.

Don O’Brien is the regional director for the Quincy Better Business Bureau. Contact him at dobrien@quincybbb.org or 217-209-3972.