SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Many people are searching for how they can give to relief efforts following Friday night’s tornado outbreak. 

However, experts are warning people to be careful who they decide to give money to, as scams can exist. 

Those with the Better Business Bureau said there are going to be people lying about truly helping with relief efforts. 

Regional Director, Stephanie Garland, said there are things to check before donating. 

“Go ahead and research how long a charity has been involved and how long it’s been around,” Garland said. “See how does it actually get help to those who need it. Are there boots on the ground already?” 

Garland said it’s not just people who say they’re there to help others. She said many times, people will steal pictures to act like their home was destroyed, or their family was hurt. 

“You may see something like Christmas is devastated,” Garland said. “We’re out of our home. Our kids don’t have presents. You can do a reverse Google image search and see how many other places that image is popping up and that’s one way to tell if it’s on other websites.” 

She said the following organizations are examples of organizations that can be trusted. 

To find a list of BBB Accredited Charities, click here.

Our station is partnering with the American Red Cross to raise disaster relief funds for those impacted by the storms.To donate, click here.