This is absolutely terrible. Scammers are trying to profit off Breast Cancer Awareness month, which falls throughout the entire month of October.

According to the Better Business Bureau, scammers have been taking advantage of this fact for years. This specific type of scam even has its own name now: pinkwashing.

So what does that mean? "Pinkwashing" is a term for when scammers profit off of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, using it as a means to raise money and then keeping it for themselves rather than giving it to the cause.

COVID-19 is making this even easier for scammers. Local media outlets report that with the pandemic, many events centered around raising money for breast cancer are going to happen or have happened online, making it even easier for scammers to collect money and fly under the radar.

The Better Business Bureau is offering up tips this year to help you avoid becoming a victim of one of these scams. For starters, always double check the legitimacy of an organization before giving away your personal and / or banking information. Do your research on the company or organization before donating any money so you can make sure your money is going to the right place.

A few others tips include looking for specific details about which charity money is going to. If you are at a store and they ask for donations, ask an employee about which charity money is going to and look for more details to ensure it is legitimate. If you want to donate to a breast caner charity, reach out to one and ask how you can do so. That way you can avoid giving to scammers completely while still helping out an amazing cause.

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