Don't be fooled: Charity scams can steal your money

Don’t be fooled: Charity scams can steal your money

Help after Helene.

It may sound like a real charity that could be helping victims of the recent Florida hurricanes. It is not. It’s a made up name that sounds legitimate.

With a hastily set up website and a plea for donations, scammers can make a lot of money from good people just wanting to help.

Disasters bring them out and the scams can be hard to spot.

Fraud charities can reach out to you the same way real charities do: by text, email, social media or a phone call.

Artificial Intelligence makes it easier for frauds to copy real charity donation requests and websites.

So how do you tell the real from the fake and know your money is going to a good cause?

Signs it could be a scam:

-demands for cash, gift cards or wire transfers. Donate with a credit card for best protections.
-if you’re asked for your bank account, Social Security, or other personal information
-pressure or threats to get your money now.

Check out a charity BEFORE donating.

Enter the charity name in the Internal Revenue Service search tool.

It will show you if the charity is legitimate and able to accept tax-deductible donations.

https://irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search

The California Attorney General regulates charities and their fundraisers to make sure donations are used appropriately.

https://oag.ca.gov/charities/content/info

BBB Wise Giving Alliance shows how a charity uses your donation.

It sets standards for a charity’s expenses, effectiveness, possible conflicts of interest and more.
https://give.org/

Charity Navigator,
https://charitynavigator.org/

CharityWatch,
https://charitywatch.org

and Candid
https://candid.org/ also evaluate charities.

Find trusted businesses and report scams at bbb.org.
https://bbb.org/