Charity Scams

FTC Image on Charity Scams

Fraudsters prey on people’s willingness to help others through donations.  You may be contacted by someone on behalf of a charity asking for money towards a cause you are passionate about or for a widescale event where money is needed, such as victims impacted by hurricanes.  Despite your good intentions, these fake charities have nothing but bad one – they disappear with your donation, and it’s never put towards the people that need it.

Protecting Yourself

  • If they pressure you for your donation quickly, it’s likely a scam.  For example, they may claim you already agreed to donate.
  • If they ask for your donation in cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency, refuse to do so.
  • Find out more information about the charity itself.  Visit Charity Navigator to research it and make sure your donation will truly go towards the cause.
  • You can also ask the charity itself, but if they avoid or refuse to answer your questions, cut off all communication with them.

If you Become a Victim

Take the following actions right away:

  1. Notify your bank or credit union where the donation was withdrawn.
  2. File a complaint with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
  3. File a report with your local police department.

Check out this FTC video below for additional tips on verifying charities before you donate: