What do I do if I suspect that a philanthropy site on the Web is a fraud?

If you are suspicious of an organization or believe you have become a victim of a charity scam, there are several Web sites and organizations that can help.

• The BBB Wise Giving Alliance was formed in 2001 with the merger of the National Charities Information Bureau and the Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation and its Philanthropic Advisory Service. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance collects and distributes information on hundreds of nonprofit organizations that solicit nationally or have national or international program services. At this site you will find Charity Reports, ordering information for the BBB Wise Giving Guide, Charity Standards, and Tips on Giving. The Web site also provides donor education information that includes reports and articles, news and alerts, and the opportunity to file an inquiry or complaint about a charity.

• The National Fraud Information Center's Internet Fraud Watch provides a toll-free number and online complaint form to report suspected fraudulent activity.

• A list of state Attorneys Generals' offices can be found here.

• You may also want to look at two articles published in the Chronicle of Philanthropy on this topic:

  Demko, Paul. "On-Line Solicitors: Tangled Web." Chronicle of Philanthropy 10 (29 January 1998) p. 23-4.

  Hall, Holly. "States Are Split On How to Protect Donors from On-Line Fraud." Chronicle of Philanthropy 11 (9 September 1999) p. 31.

• Other watchdog organizations can be found in the Center's Links to Nonprofit Resources under the heading "Charity-Monitoring Organizations."

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