The warnings for Hurricane Dorian have passed on the east coast of the continent but the disaster's aftermath has prompted a warning from the Better Business Bureau.
With more than 140 new charities related to Dorian setting up on websites such as GoFundMe, the BBB is encouraging donors to support organizations experienced in disaster relief. They are the ones that can clearly outline and show proof of the activities and initiatives they use donated funds for.
“Images of devastation may prompt many British Columbians, especially those with family and friends in the affected areas, to find avenues to help — particularly by donating money,” said Karla Davis, regional BBB manager for community and public relations, in a press release.
"Donors need to ensure that they are handing over their money to legitimate organizations that are able to deliver aid where it is needed. Not all organizations that claim they are going to aid in relief efforts are verified, and this recent tragedy may also inspire scammers to take advantage of people's goodwill and generosity.”
The BBB advises anyone contemplating donating should verify the organization by watching out for newly created ones inexperienced at disasters that may try to deceive donors at a vulnerable time. Donators should make sure it's a registered charity by asking for its charitable registration number assigned by the Canada Revenue Agency which means they should be able to issue tax receipts
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BBB also advises potential donors to be cautious of unfamiliar charities and wary of spam messages and emails because many websites and organizations created overnight to allegedly help victims turn out to be scams.
If a charity says its raising money to pass along to relief organizations, it might be best to avoid the middleman, said the BBB, and give directly to the organization already in the region. It's also suggested to be cautious about giving clothing, food or other in-kind donations because they may not be the quickest way to help those in need or most cost-efficient because of storage and distribution.
For more information, visit bbb.org.
