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Pressure & Guilt: Signs Your Charitable Donation Might Not Be Going To The Right Place

givingtuesday.org

The named days just keep coming. Black Friday. Cyber Monday. We’ve reached the last of the Thanksgiving-adjacent buying days: Giving Tuesday. This christened shopping day is meant to channel holiday spending toward more worthy causes than the mall.

The deals have been had. The doors busted. And the online shopping cart filled. After buying all that stuff, Giving Tuesday offers consumers a way to feel better. The day focused on raising money for charities started in 2012 as a joint venture between New York’s 92nd St. Y and the United Nations Foundation.

While the season of generosity is upon us, people looking to donate to a charity or cause should be mindful. Good intentions can fall victim to scammers.

Along with their commercial oversight, the Better Business Bureau also keeps a watchful eye on nonprofits. Veronica Craker, who’s with the Bureau, says there are telltale signs an alleged nonprofit might not be on the up and up.

“If they’re being very aggressive, if they’re saying, ‘You have to do this right now!’ or you’re this horrible person, or ‘You made a promise; you said you were going to donate this money this year,’ be very careful,” Craker says. “Charities won’t pressure you into doing something you don’t want to do.”

In addition to choosing big-name, known organizations to donate to, Craker suggests word of mouth recommendations for smaller charities like local churches.

The official Giving Tuesday website lists 159 organizations in Idaho participating in the event.

For more local news, follow the KBSX newsroom on Twitter @KBSX915

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