Celebrate The Holiday Spirit On #GivingTuesday But Don't Get Scammed

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over, now it's time to give back and do some good!

December 3 is Giving Tuesday, meant to encourage charitable donations during the holidays, whether it's helping others through the gift of your time, donations, goods or your voice.

The global generosity movement started seven years ago. It was idea that has inspired hundreds of millions of people to "give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity."

Americans, including companies and foundations, gave an estimated $427 billion to U.S. charities last year. That's an average of more than a billion dollars a day.

You can participate by helping those in need and giving your time to organizations dear to you.

Think about how you can be of help to your neighbors near and far and take that extra step to be a volunteer.

Click here for the Giving Tuesday website to help you find organizations, events, and ways to give back in your own community.

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On this day of giving, however, the Better Business Bureau warns  that scammers are also out looking to take advantage of those willing to help others.

Make sure you research the charity or organization and be sure the website you visit are secure.
Give.org is a great resource and includes over 1,200 reports on national charities.

Be wary of emotional appeals on social media. Scammers can pose as friends or family in need. Experts say if someone asks you to donate over Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, double check it's really them.

Also, watch out for name similarities, avoid on-the-spot donation decisions from unfamiliar organizations, check with state charity officials if necessary and avoid charities that don't disclose.