How To Avoid Donating $$ To Bogus Charities

This is the time of year where most people are in the giving mood. It’s the holidays. While most people are enjoying spending time with loved ones, there are countless others who use this time to give-back. From donating clothing to the Salvation Army to buying bicycles for underpriviledged kids, the act of being able to help someone in need is what make life that much more fulfilling.

Around the world, there are thousands of legitimate organizations. On the flipside, however, there are just as many fictitious ones.

Bogus charities are often seen during times of catastrophic natural disasters. The scam artists, that create and operate these fake causes, use various tactics to receive money or private information from their victims. They begin to hound victims with an influx of sketchy phone calls or send unwanted emails. Most of the time, these bogus groups get away with crime is because of the urgency of the natural disaster and our need to help victims of it.

But natural disaster-related charities aren’t the only ones who are known to trick innocent people out of money. As mentioned, it’s the holiday season. So, organizations are hosting fundraiser events to help raise funds in order to feed the homeless, donate Christmas toys to kids, etc. Unfortunately, these type of groups too can be managed under the disguise of a scammer.

To prevent yourself from becoming their next victim, here are a couple tips to avoid donating money to these bogus charities:

1. Only Donate to Recognizable Charities (or charities that has had a history of doing exactly what they preach)

2. Conduct prior research on that charity.

3. Check the IRS.gov website (EO Select Check)  for the legitimacy of the charity’s name; scammers often use names or web addresses similiar to other popular charities.

4. Never give out your credit card info, Social Security number, etc to someone soliciting money from you. 

5. Never make a donation using cash. Always use a credit card or check instead. This will allow you to have a receipt of the donation in case of security problems or to file for tax purposes. 

As much as we want to help the less fortunate or victims of natural disasters, we have to take precautions. Everyone is out to make a buck.  The best way to make sure your money is going to the right place is to conduct a background check first.  This will prevent a lot of heartache in the end.