At least one poorly-conceived charity scam has already emerged in the wake of the explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon yesterday, and more are likely.

BBB Wise Giving Alliance, the national charity monitoring arm of Better Business Bureau cautions donors about potential red flags concerning tragedy-related philanthropy.

“Tragedies inspire people to give,” said H. Art Taylor, president and CEO of the Alliance, “but, tragedies – whether natural disasters or manmade catastrophes – also inspire scammers to take advantage of that generosity. Social media, in particular, makes it very easy to reach a lot of people quickly, when emotions are running high and people feel the need to take action, any action, to help.”

BBB Wise Giving Alliance urges donors to give thoughtfully and avoid those seeking to take advantage of the generosity of others:

BBB Wise Giving Alliance: Ten Tips for Giving with Confidence

1. Thoughtful Giving

Take the time to check out the charity to avoid wasting your generosity by donating to a questionable or poorly managed effort. The first request for a donation may not be the best choice. Be proactive and find trusted charities that are providing assistance.

2. Help Spread the Wise Giving Word

Remind your friends and family to be cautious about giving requests in the wake of such a tragedy and ask them to spread the word as well. People are emotionally moved by events like these and may react before they have time to carefully consider.

3. State Government Registration

About 40 of the 50 states require charities to register with a state government agency (usually a division of the State Attorney General’s office) before they solicit for charitable gifts. If the charity is not registered, that may be a significant red flag.

4. Respecting Victims and Their Families

Organizations raising funds should get permission from the families to use either the names of the victims and/or any photographs of them. Some charities raising funds for the Colorado movie theater, and Newton school victims did not do this and were the subject of criticism from victims’ families.

5. How Will Donations Be Used?

Watch out for vague appeals that don’t identify the intended use of funds. For example, how will the donations help victims’ families? Also, unless told otherwise, donors will assume that funds collected quickly in the wake of a tragedy will be spent just as quickly. See if the appeal identifies when the collected funds will be used.

6. What if a Family Sets Up Its Own Assistance Fund?

Some families may decide to set up their own assistance funds. Be mindful that such funds may not be set up as charities. Also, make sure that collected monies are received and administered by a third party such as a bank, CPA or lawyer. This will help provide oversight and ensure the collected funds are used appropriately (e.g., paying for funeral costs, counseling, and other tragedy-related needs.)

7. Online Cautions

Never click on links to charities on unfamiliar websites or in texts or emails. These may take you to a lookalike website where you will be asked to provide personal financial information or to click on something that downloads harmful malware into your computer. Don’t assume that charity recommendations on Facebook, blogs or other social media have already been vetted.

8. Financial Transparency

After funds are raised for a tragedy, it is even more important for organizations to provide an accounting of how funds were spent. Transparent organizations will post this information on their websites so that anyone can find out and not have to wait until the audited financial statements are available sometime in the future.

9. Newly Created or Established Organization 

This is a personal giving choice, but an established charity will more likely have the experience to quickly address the circumstances and have a track record that can be evaluated. A newly formed organization may be well-meaning but will be difficult to check out and may not be well managed.

10. Tax Deductibility

Not all organizations collecting funds to assist this tragedy are tax exempt as charities under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donors can support these other entities but keep this in mind if they want to take a deduction for federal income tax purposes. In addition, contributions that are donor-restricted to help a specific individual/family are not deductible as charitable donations, even if the recipient organization is a charity.

Other Resources:

BBB Wise Giving Alliance is asking anyone who receives a suspicious charitable solicitation to report it to BBB Report a Scam.

The FBI has the lead investigative role following the bombing. Anyone who has information, visual images and/or details regarding the explosions should call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324), prompt #3. The FBI says no piece of information or detail is too small.

The American Red Cross says it has enough blood and financial resources committed to Boston at this time, but asks that people make appointments to give blood in the weeks and months ahead.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino offers the Mayor’s 24-Hour Hotline at 617-635-4500 for anyone with concerns about their family members or friends who were at the race.

The Mayor’s office also suggested resources from the National Association of School Psychologists to help children deal with tragedies.

As the school year ends, the festivities begin. From graduation get-ups to prom preparations, the expenses can quickly add up for parents, Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona warns.

Graduation can be a year-long expenditure; from invitations and photos to caps and gowns. A senior prom, however, can quickly add to a pricey last-minute event. A new survey from Visa, Inc indicated the average American family plans to spend $1,139 on prom this year, a 5 percent increase from 2012.

Limousines are among the most popular expenses for both festivities. Last year, BBB received over 1,700 complaints nationwide regarding limousine services. Most complaints alleged the limo failed to arrive on time, or at all. Other complaints allege consumers had trouble receiving requested refunds.

Besides limo service, there are many other vendors involved in senior celebrations. BBB has advice for parents and their kids who are preparing for prom or graduation;

• Prom Tickets – Tickets should be purchased directly from the school or official ticket seller rather than third parties to avoid receiving a counterfeit ticket.
• Dresses – The average price fora prom dress or tuxedo can range, but a designer outfit can easily add to any price tag. If your child wants to wear a designer outfit, buy from a reputable retailer. Be cautious of online merchants. What seems like a great deal online may be a counterfeit.
• Beauty Services – If your child wants an overall makeover keep in mind other students may want one as well. Schedule appointments as far in advance as possible.
• Limousines – Depending on the type of vehicle and the number of hours needed, parents should make sure they have a written contract that includes the hours of service, required fees including gratuities and maximum capacity allowed.
• Dinners – The key to preventing a disaster when the bill arrives is advance preparation. Review menus online,make reservations, and determine the payment method and gratuities beforehand.Some restaurants will not split checks for large groups and can charge a higher gratuity for a large party.
• Flowers – Flowers for prom can range from a simple corsage or boutonniere to a bouquet of roses. If you are ordering flowers, make sure you use a reliable florist and have a written order that spells out delivery times and specific flower types.
• Photography – If you’re hiring a professional photographer, make sure you have a written contract so that you understand what is included.

Parents can check out business reviews for florists, photographers, limousine companies, retailers and salons online at www.tucson.bbb.org.

With summer concerts and festivals just around the corner many fans are eager to get tickets to their favorite events. Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona warns that buying a ticket from the wrong person could leave you outside the gates.

Many tend to seek out tickets on classified sites. Unfortunately, several classified sites don’t offer guarantees for buyers, and most often sellers don’t have to prove that the tickets are authentic. Consumers should also be cautious when buying tickets on event day from individuals they don’t know. Many times these are cash transactions, which leaves little recourse for the consumer should the tickets turn out to be counterfeit.

BBB offers these tips for those looking to purchase tickets:

• Do your research. When purchasing tickets through an online broker, look for a BBB Accreditation Seal on their website and check out their BBB Business Review at bbb.org. Assess the company’s policy for customer satisfaction and what happens if tickets purchased through their site are fake or not as advertised.
• Verify the tickets are real. If buying online, ask to see a picture of the tickets so you can confirm the seats match up with the venue. If your friends already have tickets, you can also compare and make sure they look the same as the ones you want to buy. Search for guidance online about how the tickets should look.
• If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. The reason tickets are expensive is because they’re hard to get and the chances of you getting lucky and finding a deal are slim. If a situation sounds too good to be true, such as someone selling tickets to a popular event for much less than offered elsewhere, it probably is.
• Pay with a credit card or PayPal account. Consumers should avoid paying by cash, check or wiring money to a seller. There is little or no way to get back your money if the tickets do not arrive, which is why scammers often do business this way. Using a credit card or PayPal account provides additional protection and the opportunity for potential reimbursement if the seller is uncooperative or does not follow through with sending tickets.
• Watch for hidden fees. Some websites include service charges and additional shipping fees with the purchase of tickets. While these charges should be identified on the website and disclosed to you before the transaction is finalized, read the fine print to make sure you know the total cost that will be billed to your account.