Although this only slightly erases the dark spots on the evil souls of the bloodsucking credit card companies, I have to give props to American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Bank of America and other banks for agreeing to waive merchant bank and other credit processing fees for several charities collecting for the Haitian relief effort.

Some of the charities impacted include American Red Cross; AmeriCares; CARE USA; Direct Relief International; Habitat for Humanity; International Rescue Committee; Mercy Corps; Oxfam America; Save the Children; US Fund for UNICEF; and World Vision.

This means that more of the money donated can go directly to the people in need after the massive earthquake and aftershocks that devastated what was already the poorest nation in the western hemisphere.

Unfortunately, during the course of every crisis there are opportunists who wish to take advantage of the goodwill of men to line their pockets.

In the short time since the disaster this week, there has been an explosion of phony websites, phishing schemes and fake charities looking to leverage the suffering of the Haitian people and the kind hearts of the developed world as a means to get rich quick.

Hopefully you’ll find it in your heart to put aside your debt reduction plans for a short while to give to those in even greater need than you at this very dark hour. Even if you have to charge it, a few bucks buys a lot of rice, water purification tablets and bandages.

But of course it’s all for naught if the money doesn’t get where it’s needed. In light of that fact, here are some tips to avoid relief effort scams.

Work with established charities like the American Red Cross or Haitian entertainer Wyclef Jean’s Yele fund and you can be confident that your sacrifice won’t be in vain.