When you’re giving money to those in need – such as donating to the hundreds of thousands of people displaced in the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area – giving to charity is a worthy endeavor.
If you’re donating to charity for the first time or you’ve been supporting your favorite causes for years, it’s a good idea to ensure your donation is safe and the charity is legitimate.
Criminals have the opportunity to fly under the radar and impersonate real charities, especially during times of a global health crisis or social unrest. While you should continue to support charitable causes, it’s important to do so safely.
Examples of Charity Scams
The recent Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County have brought out overwhelming support but also, unfortunately, scammers looking to take advantage of the disaster. Thousands of GoFundMe campaigns have been started since the wildfires began, but officials are asking givers to be on the lookout for fraudulent GoFundMe accounts. Fraudsters have started fake accounts that either pretend to be victims of the fires or impersonating celebrities such as Kim Kardashian to hold fake fundraisers.
Another example of charity fraud is when criminals impersonated real charities to collect fraudulent donations when the Israel-Hamas War broke out.
How to Avoid Charity Scams
Here’s how to avoid fraud when donating to charity.
1. Avoid Inbound Solicitations
There are many ways criminals can pass as legitimate charities. They may create a fictional organization from scratch or use a name similar to a real charity to lure in unsuspecting donors.
They might want the victim to take an action, like clicking a link or downloading an attachment via email. They might want the victim to provide personal information over the phone. They may have plans to pocket your money, steal your identity or install ransomware on your computer.
You can avoid phishing scams by ignoring inbound requests, like emails or phone calls, even if you believe it is coming from a legitimate organization. Don’t follow links, download attachments, or provide information through unsolicited phone calls. When you’re ready to make a donation, go directly to the charity’s website.
2. Research the Charity
Criminals may set up fake organizations as a response to current events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or recent protests, to prey on sympathetic donors. By doing a few minutes of research online, you can verify if an organization is legitimate.
For donations to be tax-deductible, charities must register with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization. To make sure your donation is tax-deductible, you can check the IRS list of 501(c)(3) organizations.
For further research, you can check charity rating websites such as Charity Navigator or GiveWell. These sites provide information on thousands of legitimate charities, including data on how efficiently your donation will be used to serve a cause.
You also can check your state’s local resources on charities. Look for complaints – if you see evidence of multiple complaints online or with your state, consider that a warning sign.
3. Make Donations Safely
Legitimate charities can accept donations through common payment types including cash, check, credit card, PayPal and more. If the charity requires specific payment types like cash, you should consider this a red flag. If they want unusual payment types such as gift cards, that’s an even bigger warning sign.
Credit cards are one of the safer donation options. They have built-in legal protections. They provide a record trail of your donation and they aren’t tied to your bank account. If you donate online, look for a padlock icon in your browser to indicate it’s a secure website.
When you’re ready to donate, go directly to the charity’s website for donation instructions. Never provide personal information such as your Social Security number or bank account number when it isn’t needed to make a donation. Even your physical address can be used to run scams or commit identity theft, so be careful about where you share your information.
What to Do If You Feel You Have Given to a CharityScam
If you are questioning the legitimacy of the charity you’ve donated to, there are steps you can take to help minimize the damage.
1. Contact Your Bank or CreditCard Company
Start by contacting your bank or credit card company to report the scam and request a stop payment or chargeback if possible. Alerting your financial institution quickly is essential to help prevent unauthorized transactions and secure your accounts.
2. Monitor Your Bank Statements
Monitoring your bank statements for unauthorized activity. Make sure you report any suspicious activity as soon as possible.
3. Monitor Your Credit Reports
You should also monitor your credit report for possible suspicious activity as scammers may attempt further exploitation of your financial information.
4. Report to Authorities
Report the fake charity to the relevant authorities, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and your state’s charity regulator or attorney general's office. If the scam originated online, notify the platform where it appeared to help prevent others from falling for the scam.
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