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You’re probably getting emails, texts, and calls asking for end-of-year donations. It’s the season of giving, after all. Scammers know this is a popular time to donate, so they’re out there, too, trying to trick people into giving to them instead of a real charity.

To make sure the charity you picked is legit and your money will support programs you care about:

  • Do some research. Search the charity’s name plus “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.” Use these organizations to research charities. And if you’re looking to donate through a crowdfunding page, watch for scams there, too.
  • Pay by check or credit card, which is safer. And if a charity insists you pay with cryptocurrency, by wiring money through Western Union or MoneyGram, with a payment app, or with a gift card, it’s likely a scam.
  • Check how much of your donation goes to the program you want to support. Ask anyone who calls asking for a donation. Then verify that information on the charity’s website. Some fundraising efforts can be expensive. If a high percentage of what you donate goes to fundraising, it leaves the charity with little money to spend on its actual programs.
  • Check if it’s tax deductible. One pitch you might hear a lot: “Give before December 31st to get a tax deduction for 2024.” But that’s only true if the charity is listed in the IRS Tax Exempt Organizational Search Tool. Remember that donations to individuals and PACs are not tax deductible.

Spotted a charity scam? Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. 

 

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Shopping and Donating
Donating to Charity
Scams
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Charity Scams
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