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BBB warning: Watch out for fake appeals for donations to Buffalo shooting victims

Submitted

Mon, May 16th 2022 09:50 am

By the Better Business Bureau 

After the horrific shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, many people asked how they could help the victims, the families, and the neighbors in the area. As we see with national tragedies, scammers often try to take advantage of the situation.

Better Business Bureau has the following tips:

•Are you considering crowdfunding appeals? If engaging in crowdfunding, it is safest to give to someone you personally know and trust and review the platform’s policies regarding fees and distribution of collected funds. If the crowdfunding request is from a charity, check out the group by visiting Give.org. Keep in mind that some crowdfunding sites do very little vetting of individuals or organizations that decide to post for relief assistance. Sites that take security measures will usually provide descriptions of these procedures.

GoFundMe is a BBB Accredited Business, and it is monitoring the requests for donations.

Be wary of email appeals, as it may be a phishing attempt.

•Should you donate clothing and food? Ask the organization for the most needed items before you donate.

Is the charity experienced in providing emergency relief? Experienced charities are the best bet to help deliver aid as soon as possible. New entrants may have difficulty in following through even if they have the best of intentions.

If anyone suspects fraud or has questions, please report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker or give us a call at 800-828-5000.

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