Contact:

Bennett Weiner

Chief Operating Officer

BBB Wise Giving Alliance

703.247.9323

bweiner@cbbb.bbb.org

Arlington, VA, February 10, 2003 -- It is regular as clockwork. Within days of any natural or man-made disaster, the Better Business Bureau knows that some people will attempt to take advantage of Americans' eagerness to assist victims of the tragedy.

"It's unfortunate, but the minute we heard about the loss of the Columbia shuttle, we knew to be on the look-out for questionable appeals that will seek to use headlines to solicit donations, supposedly for charitable purposes," said Art Taylor, president and CEO of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity watchdog affiliated with the Better Business Bureau system.

• The Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Washington and North Idaho was alerted, within hours of the Columbia tragedy, to emails and a web site soliciting on behalf of a brand-new organization that said it was requesting funds to help the families of the seven Columbia astronauts.



• Various charity auctions have taken place on the Internet that report to be raising funds for shuttle-related charities.



• The Texas Attorney General's office issued an alert advising that Texans are calling to report telephone solicitors and email "spammers" urging donations to benefit a fund established to help the astronauts' families.

"We certainly encourage the public to contribute to helpful causes that will assist the families and victims of any catastrophe. Donors should make certain, however, that the charity is properly registered with appropriate state government agencies, that it describes exactly what it will do to address the needs of victims, and that it is willing to provide written information about its finances and programs," Taylor said.

People can check out charities by contacting the Better Business Bureau or their local charity registration office, usually a division of the state attorney general's office. Information on national charities is also available from the BBB Wise Giving Alliance at www.give.org.

Once the donor determines that the charity actually exists, he or she should do their homework to make certain their contribution reaches the intended organization and is used appropriately.

In the case of online charity auctions, for instance, this would entail finding out if the auction: identifies the name of the benefiting charity, discloses what portion of the auction sale will go to the named charity, has appropriate security measures in place to handle such transactions, and identifies the nature of the charity programs the purchase will support.

"Donors who respond purely on the emotion evoked by a fancy web site, an enticing auction item, or a tear-inducing phone call may end up disappointed about how their donation was used. Even well intentioned efforts may be mismanaged or may not have established the means to accomplish what they claim," Taylor said.

In addition to checking with the Better Business Bureau, donors should consider the following tips when giving in the wake of a tragedy or disaster:

• 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.



• If you contribute, do not give cash. Make a check or money order out to the name of the charitable organization, not to the individual collecting the donation.



• If you decide to contribute online, find out more about the charity before making a contribution and be aware of red flags. For example, some charities imitate the name and style of a well-known organization in order to confuse people. Also, when clicking on the link to "donate", look at the organization's URL in the browser window. Exercise caution if the domain name is hidden, is not familiar to you, or is not the same as the one stated in the text of the link.



• Watch out for excessive pressure for on-the-spot donations. Be wary of any request to send a "runner" to pick up your contribution.



• Do not give your credit card number or other personal information to a telephone solicitor or in response to an email solicitation. Ask the caller or sender to provide you with written information on the charity's programs and finances.



• 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. Even newly created organizations should have some basic information available.



• Be wary of charities that are reluctant to answer reasonable questions about their operations, finances and programs. Ask how much of your gift will be used for the activity mentioned in the appeal and how much will go toward other programs and administrative and fund raising costs.



• Find out what the charity intends to do with any excess contributions remaining after they have fully funded their planned activities for the families of the Columbia astronauts.

Donors can obtain further advice on giving and access reports on national charities by visiting www.give.org.

The BBB Wise Giving Alliance was formed through the merger of the National Charities Information Bureau and the Council of Better Business Bureaus' Foundation which housed the Philanthropic Advisory Service. The Alliance produces reports on the most-asked-about national charities and specifies if they meet the CBBB Standards for Charitable Solicitations. These Standards address, among other things, charity financial, governance, and fund raising issues.