No matter how you give, you want to be certain your money goes to the intended recipient. With the advent of charitable giving via text message, there are even more ways for thieves to cash in on your good intentions. Here are some tips to be sure your money goes where you meant it to:

• Never respond to an email or text message solicitation, even if it appears to be from a reputable organization. Go directly to that organization’s website to donate or send them a check in the mail.
• Be wary of any email claiming to contain photographs of victims or the earthquake scene. These emails may contain viruses and should be deleted immediately.
• When using text messaging to donate, be certain you’ve got the right number. The American Red Cross is receiving donations via text, and their number is on their website. Numbers forwarded by well-intentioned friends may still contain incorrect and even fraudulent information.
• Regard with suspicion anyone soliciting contributions by phone or at your front door, particularly if you’ve never heard of the organization they represent and if you didn’t initiate the conversation. Never give your credit card number or account information to anyone whose affiliation you can’t completely verify.
• When donating online, be certain the webpage where you give your information has “https” in the URL and a lock icon somewhere on the page. These indicate a secure site.
• The Better Business Bureau provides a list of charities that have been vetted by the Bureau.

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