BBB: Most Haiti Charities are Scams, Do Your Research
January 18, 2010, 5:00 pm
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yeleBBB: Most Haiti Charities are Scams, Do Your Research
BBB
January 13, 2010
In the wake of the major earthquake in Haiti, many Americans want to help with donations to relief agencies and charities working in the region. However, as with every natural disaster, there are some unscrupulous people who will attempt to take advantage of the public’s eagerness to help victims. BBB serving Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas offers advice for donors to ensure their donations go to trustworthy relief efforts.
“In the face of any disaster, Americans are quick to step forward with donations to aid the victims and their families,” said Carrie A. Hurt, President and CEO of BBB serving Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas. “Unfortunately, scammers will try to take advantage of the generosity of the public; that’s why it’s important to take the time to research a charity before donating to relief efforts.”
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following advice to make sure donations go to worthy charities and relief efforts:
* Before making a contribution, visit www.bbb.org/charity to view detailed reports on many of the relief organizations providing assistance. (go here to find the list of charities that meet BBB standards)
* Think twice about donating to any charity that is inexperienced in carrying out relief efforts, but is suddenly soliciting for aid to Haiti. Although well intentioned, such organizations may not have the ability to quickly deliver aid to those in need.
* Be wary of charities that are reluctant to answer reasonable questions about their operations, finances and programs.
* Do not hesitate to ask for written information that describes the charity’s program(s) and finances such as the charity’s latest annual report and financial statements.
* Find out what the charity intends to do with any excess contributions remaining after they have fully funded the disaster relief activities mentioned in solicitations.
* Do not give cash. Checks or money orders should be made out to the name of the charitable organization, not to the individual collecting the donation.
* Keep an eye out for fake charities that imitate the name and style of well-known organizations in order to confuse people and potentially steal personal information such as credit card numbers.
* Don’t give in to excessive pressure for on-the-spot donations. Be wary of any request to send a “runner” to pick up your contribution.
* Be wary of appeals that are long on emotion, but short on describing what the charity will do to address the needs of victims and their families.
* Do not give your credit card number or other personal information to a telephone solicitor or in response to an e-mail solicitation.
* To help ensure your contribution is tax deductible, donations should be made to charitable organizations that are tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Go to IRS Publication 78 on http://www.irs.gov for a current list of all organizations eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable gifts.
For more information on the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and to view BBB Wise Giving ReportsTM on charities across the nation go to www.bbb.org/charity.
Clinton Bush Haiti Fund is a Scam
January 18, 2010, 12:25 pm
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Taxpayers | Tags:
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Ignite LearningHurricane Donation Benefited Bush Son
LA Times
March 25, 2006
In a city housing thousands of Katrina evacuees, Barbara Bush’s donation to a local hurricane relief fund normally would not seem controversial.
But more than a few eyebrows were raised when the former first lady stipulated that part of her contribution was to be spent on educational software purchased from her son Neil’s company, Ignite Learning of Austin, Texas.
“I would think if she wants to do something beneficial for Katrina victims, she shouldn’t be making the decision that the vendor is her son,” said Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy, a charity watchdog group. “Other education experts need to be making that decision, not somebody who has a family interest in the success of her son’s business.”
Barbara Bush’s donation to the Bush-Clinton Houston Hurricane Relief Fund was made a few weeks ago, said Steve Maislin, president of the Greater Houston Community Foundation, which administers the fund. That fund, which supports Houston-area relief efforts, is not connected to the national Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, he said.
The Houston fund forwarded Bush’s donation to another nonprofit organization, which bought the software.
“There are a lot of students who went through Katrina and Rita in the Houston area, and she wanted to do something very specific to help them,” Jean Becker, chief of staff for former President George H.W. Bush, said of Barbara Bush.
“She is a huge fan of her son’s software program — it has gotten great reviews from teachers and students — and she wanted to make sure it was available to the students.”
Maislin would not disclose the amount of the donation, but he said it was not unusual for a contributor to specify how his or her money should be spent.
“It’s common for someone to say: ‘I want to give money, but I want it to go to a certain organization,’ ” he said.
But Borochoff said donors who direct that their money be used to buy products from a family business set a bad precedent.
“If everybody started doing that, it would ruin our whole system for tax-exempt organizations, because people would be using them to benefit their business rather than for the public benefit. That’s not why our government gives tax deductions for donations,” he said. “I hope other donors across the country don’t start dictating that their contributions go to their family business. That would be a rip-off of our tax system.”
Bush contributed to the relief fund instead of directly to her son’s company to help publicize the nonprofit, Maislin said. “It helps us when someone with her visibility contributes. We could advertise the fact … and help build momentum” for donations.
Criminals want your money: “Just Send Your Cash”
Are you really going to trust your money to Mr. WMD and cocaine money-laundering Clinton with your Haiti donation? Find a trustworthy charity backed by the Better Business Bureau.
Practically Family: Clinton And Bush
Obama asks George W. Bush to assist Haiti relief efforts
noworldsystem.com 