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BBB warning people about donating to Hurricane relief funds

Posted at 4:44 AM, Sep 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-20 04:44:33-04

The website Give.org and the Better Business Bureau are warning people who are considering donating to the relief efforts for Hurricane Florence to make sure they know where their money is going.

Officials with the website say it has seen crowdfunding posts and individuals claiming to raise funds so they can deliver things like fresh water, food, and flashlights to impacted areas, but they actually turn out to be fake.

That is why Give.org has teamed up with the BBB to give some tips about making sure your donations make it to the right places.

First, you can check an organizations BBB rating and make sure it is trusted. Keep in mind that some crowdfunding sites do very little vetting so it can be hard to trust the request.

Also, about 40 of the 50 states require charities to register with a government agency before they can solicit for gifts.  If the charity you are planning to donate to isn’t registered, you may want to think twice, before donating.