Don’t let scammers take advantage of your charity

Many people want to do their part to help the tornado victims in Oklahoma, but if you’re not careful, a donation can easily end up in the wrong hands.

The Better Business Bureau, Washington State Attorney General’s Office and Washington Secretary of State are warning of scammers looking to take advantage of your charity.

They said it’s a good idea to avoid cash donations and to write a check directly to the charity, not the fundraiser. Never give out credit card numbers over the phone. And you can always contact potential charities directly.

You should also watch out for solicitations from fake victim or memorial social media accounts.

You should also be wary of charities that use sympathetic sounding names or names similar to well-known legitimate charities.

To see if a charity is legitimate, see http://alaskaoregonwesternwashington.bbb.org/Charity-Reviews/.