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If you want to donate money to the relief efforts in Japan, it's a good idea to be proactive and know for certain to whom that money is going.

That's what Katie Carrol with the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado said.

Here are some tips from the BBB:

1. Do not respond to unsolicited (SPAM) e-mail or phone texts.
2. Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting for donations.
3. Do not click on links with an unsolicited e-mail or text. You could be opening up your computer to viruses and spyware.
4. Be cautious of e-mails or texts claiming to contain pictures in attached files. Only open attachments from known senders.
5. To ensure contributions are received and used for their intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
6. Validate the legitimacy of the organization by directly accessing the recognized charity or aid organization's website rather than following an alleged link to the site.
7. Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions. Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

If you believe you've been a victim of a charity-related scheme, there are steps you can take by contacting the National Center for Disaster Fraud.

Carrol said the NCDF was originally established by the Department of Justice to investigate, prosecute and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or man-made disaster. More than 20 federal agencies (including the FBI) participate in the NCDF, allowing it to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to relief fraud.

You can contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud by telephone at (866) 720-5721, or by fax at (225) 334-4707, or by e-mail at disaster@leo.gov.

You can also report suspicious e-mail solicitations or fraudulent websites to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.