Tsunami donors should be wary, say charity groups

‘‘You need to watch out for appeals that bring tears to people’s eyes, that are long on emotion and short on facts,’’ said Bennett Weiner, chief operating officer for the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.

A spokesman for California Attorney General Bill Lockyer said his office hasn’t heard about any tsunami charity scams in the state so far, but warned that people need to be careful. ‘‘There were reports of (charity scams) after September 11 … and we tend to get them regularly throughout the year,’’ said Lockyer spokesman Nathan Barankin. He asked that people report any possible scams to Lockyer’s office by e-mailing piudoj.ca.gov.

Watchdogs advised donors to avoid giving cash or through intermediaries whenever possible. Instead, donors can usually donate directly to charities online, or send them a check through the mail.

Many charities say it’s much better for donors to give money, rather than clothing or medicine, which might be difficult to ship quickly overseas or pose other complications.

Weiner also urged donors to do their homework, even when giving money to a legitimate charity. Some charities, for instance, spend much of their money on fund-raising or other overhead expenses instead of their core mission. Others might fall short of other charitable standards.

The American Institute of Philanthropy, another charity watchdog group, has assembled a list of two dozen recommended charities that are collecting money to help tsunami victims. It’s online at http://www.charitywatch.org. Top-rated charities include the American Red Cross, Lutheran World Relief, Christian Children’s Fund, and Doctors Without Borders. —NYT