Desktop Donations

With a click of the mouse, you can help the relief effort for victims of Hurricane Katrina. We show you how to avoid scams and check out a charity's credentials before you donate.

As the devastating images of Hurricane Katrina's wrath pour into our living rooms, Americans are reaching out to victims on the Gulf Coast. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that Americans have donated about $220 million so far for hurricane relief. And various groups have planned hundreds of fund raisers and rallies across the country for Labor Day weekend.

Unfortunately, some people prey upon the good intentions of others, especially in times of crisis. There have already been reports of sleazy operators trying to take advantage of the nation's generosity, warn fraud watchers at the FBI, FTC and Better Business Bureau. A wave of Web sites soliciting donations have sprung up seemingly overnight, and phony e-mails are already popping up in inboxes.

"Virtually no bona-fide relief organization requests funds by sending e-mail to people who are not already involved in that agency," advises the Coalition Against Unsolicited Email. If you receive an email solicitation, it's best not to open the message at all. And never click on any links in the body of the e-mail -- they could take you to a phony site designed to look like a legitimate one, and steal your credit card number or bank account info. To be safe, close the message and enter a reputable organization's Web address directly into your browser, such as www.redcross.org or www.salvationarmyusa.org. Then, follow the links to donate online. (See a list of more sites accepting donations.)

The experts at Charity Navigator also suggest you be wary of fundraisers who pressure you to donate over the phone. Ask phone solicitors to send you information about their organization so you can do your research first. Then when you feel comfortable, make your donation.

Edgar Dworsky, founder of the nonprofit Web site Consumer World, advises you "donate only to a charity whose name you recognize or through a group you recognize, such as a local bank or TV station or retailer." But, he cautions, beware of groups with names that sound like famous charities but aren't.

You could also visit Network for Good, which lets you donate to any registered charity in the U.S. that can receive online contributions. The Red Cross also has a donation page at Amazon.com, so if you're already registered on the site, contributing is a snap.

When donating online, look for encryption technology on the charity's Web site in the form of a locked padlock in a corner of your browser. The URL should also start with the prefix "https://" -- "s" stands for "secure." And make sure you read the group's privacy policy.

Check out the charity

Before typing in your credit card information or writing a check, it pays to research the charity to make sure it is legitimate and that your money will go where you expect.

The organization's Web site should give you contact information and other details about the charity. In addition, find out who owns the group's domain name, says Shirley Rooker, president of Call for Action, an international, nonprofit network of consumer hotlines. You can do that at Network Solutions.

"That will tell you who is behind the site," says Rooker. "If all you get is a reference to an Internet Service Provider, be careful," she says. You can also ask for a copy of a charity's Form 990, the information return it files with the IRS each year. The 990 is a long document but it contains useful information such as how much income the organization received and from what sources, how much the group spent on programs, management and fundraising activities, who the board members are and how much top management is paid.

You can find many Form 990s at GuideStar, which allows searches of more than 1.5 million non-profit organizations recognized by the IRS. For help deciphering a Form 990, see to "How to Read the Form 990 & Find Out What It Means" by the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York.

You can also check out charities through these online rating guides which evaluate organizations by performance, fund raising and governance:

• American Institute of Philanthropy scrutinizes the numbers that nonprofits report on their tax returns, known as Form 990. It also reviews fund-raising pitches and other documents, such as audited financial statements. Charities that don't cooperate get an F. The best get A's. AIP currently rates more than 500 charities and updates its ratings three times a year in a guide called Charity Rating Guide & Watchdog Report ($3 for shipping).

• BBB Wise Giving Alliance is affiliated with the Council of Better Business Bureaus and currently rates about 500 charities. The BBB reports whether a charity has met all 23 of the BBB's standards, including effective governance, reasonable fund-raising expenditures relative to contributions and accuracy of solicitation materials. Its evaluations are based on a charity's tax return, audited financial statements and solicitation materials. You can read the charity reports at no cost on the alliance's Web site.

• Charity Navigator is free and analyzes 4,600 charities. Founded in 2002 by retired ad executive John Dugan, the group analyzes such criteria as a charity's fund-raising efficiency and administrative expenses and gives the charity an overall star rating. The site also offers peer comparisons and charity alternatives.

• GuideStar offers information about the programs and finances of more than more than 1.5 million charitable organizations. You can search for individual charities and causes, and view scanned Form 990s after a free registration. The site is maintained by Philanthropic Research.

Once you decide on a worthy charity, keep good records of all donations so you can deduct them on your tax return. (Search for charities with tax-exempt status on the IRS Web site.) You must itemize deductions at tax time to qualify for a write-off. Donations of more than $250 require a receipt from the charity. For more information on the rules of making charitable contributions, see IRS Publication 526.

How you can help

Contact the following agencies to donate cash or volunteer for Hurricane Katrina relief.

American Red Cross, 800-HELP-NOW (435-7669) English, 800-257-7575 Spanish

America's Second Harvest, 800-344-8070

Operation Blessing, 800-436-6348

Humane Society of the United States, 888-259-5431

UJA Federation of New York, 212-836-1880

Adventist Community Services, 800-381-7171

B'nai B'rith International, 888-388-4224

Catholic Charities, USA, 800-919-9338

Christian Disaster Response , 941-956-5183 or 941-551-9554

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, 800-848-5818

Church World Service, 800-297-1516

Convoy of Hope, 417-823-8998

Corporation for National and Community Service Disaster Relief Fund, 202-606-6718

Feed the Children, 800-525-7575

Lutheran Disaster Response, 800-638-3522

Mennonite Disaster Service, 717-859-2210

Nazarene Disaster Response, 888-256-5886

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, 800-872-3283

Salvation Army, 800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769)

Southern Baptist Convention -- Disaster Relief, 800-462-8657, ext. 6440

United Jewish Communities, 877-277-2477

Union for Reform Judaism

United Methodist Committee on Relief, 800-554-8583

Back to Your Money: Donating Wisely.

• Financial Emergency Kit
• Calm After the Storm
• Fill the Holes in Your Homeowners Insurance
• Can you deduct your property damage?