BBB cautions about tsunami relief appeals

Tragedies often bring out the best in people as strangers reach out to help others in need. However, disasters also will bring out a flurry of con artists without a conscience, according to the San Diego Better Business Bureau (BBB).

The BBB, San Diego’s largest county-wide business membership organization, is warning about phony charities that are expected to turn up the volume on scam appeals following the recent 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami catastrophe that swept across the Indian Ocean from Indonesia to Africa.

“It’s a sad fact that scamsters will use disasters as opportunities to prey on unsuspecting victims,” said Sheryl Charleston, San Diego BBB president and CEO. “We encourage consumers to give, but give wisely. Use your heads as well as your heart when making a monetary contribution to a disaster-relief agency or charity. Don’t feel pressure or intimidation from hard-sell tactics to give on the spot. Beware of dramatic-sounding appeals that bring tears to the eyes but tell you nothing about what they’re doing to help with the tsunami disaster. The charity that needs your money today will need it just as much tomorrow.”

The BBB advises to be wary of charities with unfamiliar names or “sound-alikes” with names that sound similar to recognizable emergency-relief organizations. Donors also should be leery of any charity that may be inexperienced in carrying out relief efforts but is suddenly soliciting for tsunami assistance.

Also, the BBB recommends consumers ask lots of questions, request printed literature on the charity’s programs and finances and send a check in the mail. Do not give cash on the spot to a “runner” at your front door. Especially, do not give your credit card number or other personal information to a telephone solicitor or in response to an e-mail solicitation. Be skeptical of any charity that is reluctant to answer questions about their operations, finances and programs.

Before writing a check, consumers can contact the non-profit BBB, which provides the largest free service of its kind to San Diego consumers with free consumer protection and pre-purchase information, including reports on more than 101,000 local companies. The BBB says that inquiries from consumers represent approximately $4 billion in local buying decisions each year. For more information, phone (800) 600-7050 or visit http://www.sd.bbb.org.