How to avoid common donation scams?

In an era of digital connectivity, safeguarding your altruistic intentions is paramount. This guideline provides how to steer clear of prevalent donation scams and ensure your contributions reach those truly in need.

- Donate to trusted well-known charities. In a moment of crisis, bad actors create fake charities.

- Beware if someone is fundraising on behalf of a charity you are familiar with. Donate directly if you wish to.

- Always verify the charity you are donating to is legitimate. There are independent online sources that can be used to verify that a charity is legitimate including:

Charity Navigator: https://www.charitynavigator.org

IRS Tax Except Organization Search: https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos

- Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. Take your time to research and act.

- Any charity organization asking you to make donations in Cash or Gift card is a red flag. Legitimate charities will normally accept check and credit card donations.

Always be vigilant against bad actors trying to exploit people’s goodwill.