How to Wisely Give Online

Presents are not the only things being given this holiday season. Many people include their favorite charities on their Christmas list.

As online shopping grows in popularity, so does making charitable contributions via the internet. According to a study by Dunham & Company, from 2010 to 2013, roughly one in two people surveyed donated at least $20 through charity websites.

David Dalrymple is president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau for Northwest North Carolina. He cautions people to research the groups they want to support before making contributions.
*Make sure the url or web address make sense and match a national url.
*Look for a telephone number, an email address as well as a physical address on the website.
*Look for something that explains what the charity does and how they use donations.
*Look for the Privacy Policy that spells out how they will protect your  personal information.
*Use a credit card.
*Do not give cash.

Dalrymple also discourages people from donating cash because it can not be tracked to ensure it is used for the intended purpose. Instead, he recommends using a check, online payments or a credit card. "A credit card is going to give you more safety and security than debit card," explains Dalrymple. "If there is any fraud, you don't have any protection if the transaction is on a debit card. Credit card companies have security policies to protect you.”

Also according to the Dunham & Company study, donating online is more popular with females than with men.Also in 2013, the number of donors age 65 and older giving through charity website has grown to nearly one in two when compared to roughly one in three donors in 2010.