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While some have devoted their lives to the fight against racial injustice, others are reaping where they didn’t sow. Ever since Black Lives Matter was started, it grew to global recognition as people around many people around the world could resonate with the course. What began as a simple movement quickly become a global sign against racially motivated injustices.
But, as the donations began to flow, so did scammers who were looking to exploit the fame of Black Lives Matter. Since most Black Live Matter focuses on sensitive issues in society, there tend to be a lot of emotions involved. Scammers take advantage of this as they know you are emotionally charged. They want you to hurry up and donate without doing your due diligence. Thus, Black Lives Matter scams have been rising steadily and people need to be armed to help fight the scams.
In the recent past, we have seen scammers being taken to court. In one such case, Black Lives Matter sued Global Network Foundation, Bowers Consulting, and Shalomyah Bowers for fraud and misrepresentation.
In the documents filled in a Californian court, it's alleged that one Shalomyah Bowers (not his real name) defrauded the social organization. The accused allegedly redirected millions of dollars meant for BLM into his own organization. It’s further alleged that the accused has been withdrawing the money meant for the organization for personal use. On top, he is said to have locked out members of the BLM from the social media handles by changing the passwords while they were protesting.
It is from such cases that we can see a gleaming picture of the menace that Black Lives Matter scammers are creating. When the founders of BLM, Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, and Alicia Garza, started, it was for a good course. But as the organization shoot to global heights, scammers have taken advantage.
In most cases, it can be hard to recognize a scam. But how do you protect yourselves from Black Lives Matters Scams?
Feeling the desire to help a cause you believe in? Well, take a pause and see the following tips to avoid your hard-earned money from falling into Black Live Matter fraudsters ;
One of the biggest issues that donors have to face is that Black Lives Matter is not one organization. Rather, it's broken down into several grassroots organizations. With this, scammers have found a way of breaking through the lines, so to speak. Before making any donations, be sure to do a background check on the organization.
Here are a few pointers;
In most cases, the activists behind Black Lives Matter are well-known in society. In this regard, it's always wise to check out the people behind the organization. A simple internet search can reveal so much. Check the social media handle and the people handling the pages. On Facebook, you can always check where the admins are based on the “Page Info” segment.
Black Lives Matter scams are usually high during the peak of protests. Scammers want to ride on this wave and hence taking time before making a donation sounds reasonable. Scammers use the emotions of donors as they tend to be less logical. Sure, you want to make a difference in society, but making rushed decisions will not be helpful.
In most countries, charitable organizations or NGOs are required to register with the government. This helps weed out scammers and other dubious establishments. In the US, you can check an organization on Give.org which is a Better Business Bureau online platform. In the UK, you can always check on the Compay House website. Be warned, anybody can register a non-profit organization. You can check the company to see how old it is and which directors are actually leading the organization. Other countries also have their own establishments where you can check legit organizations.
Unfortunately, scammers are exploiting a worthy course in Black Lives Matter. In a quest to help a united cause to fight racial injustices, people have lost millions of dollars to Black Lives Matter scams. It all starts when a racial injustice happens in society, like murder or police brutality, and people are emotionally charged. But it does not have to be this way. By arming yourself with the right information, you can help fight the menace created by Black Lives Matter frauds. Be sure to do your due diligence before making a donation.
If you are not sure about an organization, you can always check them on ScamAdviser, or leave a review. You can also contact us to do a background check on any organization if you have any doubts whatsoever.
Be safe, and avoid getting scammed!
Image source: Unsplash.com
