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'Wait To Donate" For Notre Dame Fund

‘Wait To Donate” For Notre Dame Fund

Apr 17, 2019 | 9:54 AM

The Better Business Bureau is advising the public to “wait to donate” towards rebuilding the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

The agency says scammers tend to take advantage of big news stories, and will pray on people’s generosity and desire to help out.

“We anticipate a flood of Notre Dame fundraising appeals on social media and crowdfunding sites,” says Karla Davis, Manager for Community and Public Relations at BBB. “While some will be legitimate fundraising efforts from well-intentioned people who are not directly involved with the cathedral, there will also be scams.”

The Bureau is urging people to wait until an official rebuilding fund or charity has been established.

“Find an organization that is properly registered and can be held accountable to utilize your contribution responsibly,” says Davis. “Another important point to note is that scammers may also impersonate legitimate charities. Look out for minor deviations in charity names and contact details. Individuals are being encouraged to do their research before making any kind of donation, whether cash, direct deposit or cheque. Make sure you know who is taking your money.”

The fundraiser has already generated 700 million dollars.

BBB also reminds the public that donations are more likely to be tax-deductible if they wait to donate through a registered charity based in Canada, rather than through another individual, crowdfunding site or foreign entity.