This document provides tips on how to spot and avoid charity scams. It warns that due to increased online donations during the pandemic, scammers are using links, emails, and social media to steal personal information from donors. The document advises donors to be wary of unsolicited requests, investigate charities before donating, and only provide financial information on secure websites using HTTPS. Donors should also carefully review donation amounts and purposes to avoid unauthorized recurring charges or misuse of funds. Reputable organizations will not pressure donors or ask for sensitive details like social security numbers.

1. Charity Scams
How to Spot

2. Due to the pandemic, more donations are taking place
online rather than in person. Links or QR codes that
appear in emails and social media may claim to direct
you to a charity's website, but they could be a phishing
lure sending you to a false page to steal your
information.
Do not click on unfamiliar
links or email attachments.
Type in the address yourself or click on links
from the trusted sites in the Research Websites section.

3. A reputable organization will never ask for your social
security number or personal financial details.
If someone knows your name and
contact details, it does NOT mean
they are genuine.
Scammers often use high-pressure tactics, such as
stressing the urgency and using highly emotive
language as part of a social engineering attack.
Question every surprise request and
don’t donate without investigating.

4. ❑ What is the charity's exact name, website, and
mailing address?
❑ How much of my donation will go directly to
the programI want to help?
❑ Will my donation be tax-deductible?
❑ What is the organization’s EIN?

5. of donations should go directly to the
cause they are serving.
65%

6. ❑ They can't call you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
❑ They must tell you the name of the charity and tell you
if the reason they’re calling is to seek a donation.
They can’t lie about:
❑ The fundraiser’s connection to the charity.
❑ The mission or purpose of the charity.
❑ Whether a donation is tax deductible.
❑ How a donation will be used, or how much of the
donation actually goes to the charity’s programs.
❑ The charity’s affiliation with the government.

7. ❑ They can’t use a robocall or prerecorded message to reach
you unless you are a member or a prior donor.
❑ They must offer a way to opt out of future calls.
❑ Caller ID on your phone must show the name of the
organization, along with a number that you can call to ask to
be placed on the charity’s do not call list.
Fundraising calls are allowed even if your number is on the
National Do Not Call Registry.
If you want to stop receiving these calls, ask the caller to put you on
the charity's do not call list.

8. Pay with Check or Credit Card
Look for HTTPS Encryption
Review your Statements
If you feel comfortable with the organization
and are ready to donate, here are some tips
for the final stage of the process.
Never pay with wire transfers or gift cards. Be
cautious with cash or cryptocurrencylike Bitcoin.
These payments methods are hard to track.
Make sure any webpage that asks for your credit
card informationhas "https"in the web address
and a little padlock icon next to it. But this alone
doesn't mean it's legit.
Make sure you’re only charged the amount you
agreed to donate ― and that you’re not signed up
to make a recurring donationif you didn’t mean to.
Keep records of your giving for tax time, too.

9. ❑ FTC
❑ BBB: Give.org
❑ Charity Navigator
❑ Guidestar.org
❑ IRS

10. • “How to Donate Wisely andAvoid CharityScams.” Consumer Information,FTC, 16 Sept. 2021, https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/how-donate-wisely-and-avoid-charity-scams.
• “Before Giving to a Charity.”ConsumerInformation,FTC, 18 Aug. 2021,https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/before-giving-to-charity.
• “Avoiding CharityScams: Questionsto Ask & Waysto Give.” CharityNavigator,21Dec. 2020,https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=6506.
• Kaspersky.“CoronavirusCharityScams - What You Need to Know and How to ProtectYourself.” Usa.kaspersky.com,Kaspersky,23Aug. 2021,https://usa.kaspersky.com/resource-
center/threats/coronavirus-charity-scams-how-to-protect-yourself.
• Photosby Unsplash and Pexels
• Icons by FlatIcon

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PRESENTATION BY NATALIE FEE