Charity Scams on the Rise: How to Protect Your Donations

ZANESVILLE, Ohio — While your heart may be in the right place, some may take advantage of your generosity. It’s important to dive deeper before donating to the charity of your choice.

Charity scams are on the rise, and it’s a good time to stay aware of how to spot them. Scammers often prey on good will, especially during times of crisis or urgency.

“We see it all the time, text links, email, or even social media feeds. When you follow a link that is not something you’re expecting, it’s an unsolicited link, you’re always at risk of a phishing scam, whether it’s asking you to pay money on a toll road to cover your toll fee or to donate to a charity,” Better Business Bureau Central Ohio President Judy Dollison said.

Charity scams can take many forms, some create fake organizations, while others call around pretending to collect donations on behalf of real ones. With so many ways to deceive, it’s easy to fall into a trap if you’re not careful.

“We know that there’s a lot of charities that have similar names, and so one thing you want to look for when you get on a website to research your charity is make sure the one that you want to give to has the exact name. Cancer, for example—the word ‘cancer’ is in many different organizations’ names, so make sure the name matches exactly,” Dollison said.

Take the time to review a charity’s mission statement, the programs they offer, and how their finances are structured. It’s not just about money…every detail on their website can help determine their legitimacy. And it’s not just monetary donations that require caution.

“If you’re donating goods like clothing or food, you want to decide whether that’s the right thing to donate given the situation. So, if it’s a natural disaster and you’re trying to donate clothing, an immediate response to clothing may not be the right thing, because it’s hard to get that into a disaster area. So, kind of think about what you’re donating and the timing of it,” Dollison added.

40/50 states require charities to be registered with a government entity. In Ohio, that registration happens through the Attorney General’s Office. If you ever feel uneasy about donating, check that the organization is officially registered.

If you suspect a scam, visit Give.org to learn more about both local and national charities. If you believe you’ve been a victim of a scam, report it to the Attorney General’s Office or submit it through the BBB Scam Tracker online.