Donate to charity?7 signs you’re really dealing with fraud

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Donation season may be over, but scammers never rest.

December is the most popular month for charitable giving, but you can donate all year round. It’s a great way to support a worthy cause in your community and also gives you a tax deduction. Otherwise, you may end up flushing your money down the toilet.

Here are 7 signs that the generous charity that wants your wallet is actually just a scammer trying to fill your own pocket.

1. Donations are not tax deductible

Legitimate charities are tax-exempt and can receive tax deductions for donations. But if the organization you’re talking to says you can’t get a tax cut, or if they’re vague about whether you’ll or won’t, that’s a sign it’s not what it claims to be. There is a possibility.

The IRS maintains a tax exempt organization search tool that can be used to verify the legitimacy of a charity. If you can’t find their entry here, it’s a strong sign that they aren’t worth your money.

Some scammers choose to impersonate members of well-known charitable organizations that they are not really affiliated with at all. They may contact you by phone, email, or mail to provide instructions on where to donate.

We encourage you to double-check this information against the charity’s actual website. Do not use the website that person has provided to you in case it is fake. Find out about charities using our trusted search engine. We then compare the information we receive with the information on the website.

3. They want your personal information

There is no reason why legitimate charities should ask for bank account numbers, social security numbers, or other personal information. If someone asks you to provide this information, you should definitely be suspicious. They could be trying to steal your identity.

Instead, try to get as much information as possible from the scammers. This includes the scammer’s name (or what the scammer says), phone number, and information about where to send money. Then file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Also contact your local law enforcement if you believe the person behind the scam is active in your area.

4. They are really intrusive

Scammers don’t want to give you time to think or research bogus charities, so they may try to coerce you into donating right away. They may try to make you feel bad for emphasizing the importance of their supposed cause or for being suspicious of them.

Legitimate charities do not require donations on specific days. They will be more than happy to answer questions about their mission and provide materials if needed.

5. Be specific about the payment methods you accept

Scammers usually prefer to be paid by wire transfer, gift card, or virtual currency. It’s much harder to recover funds you provide this way, and it’s more likely that the scammers will be completely free.

No legitimate charity will insist on paying this way. You must also be willing to accept cash, checks, or credit cards. If the person you are talking to does not want to accept these payment methods, go ahead and find another charity.

6. It’s vague about what charities do

Anyone soliciting charitable contributions should have a thorough understanding of the charity’s mission and how the organization will use that money. If the person you are talking to doesn’t fully understand how your funds will be used, it should make you a little suspicious.

Please do not hesitate to ask questions about any unclear points. And if you feel that the person is not being honest with you, don’t give them your money.

7. Frequent misspellings

Anyone can make the occasional typo, which in itself doesn’t prove the charity is fake. However, real-world organizations generally take the time to ensure that their documentation, especially publicly available documentation, is as polished as possible.

Scammers, on the other hand, don’t always pay attention to these details. So if the material they provide seems unprofessional, it’s at least worth digging around to see what else you can find out about the company.

This is not intended to discredit charity. However, we would like to know that the money we donate to good intentions is actually going to those purposes and not to other people’s bank accounts. It’s okay to check. Especially if you’re considering donating to a charity you’ve never heard of before.