4 Red Flags of Charity Scams to Look for Before Donating

Charity scammers establish convincing online presence, social media platforms and well-designed websites to create a perception of the real organization.

Some operate entirely outside the law to scam people of their donations, while some are fully registered charitable organizations but allocate part of the funds raised to programs they have bias on.

But watch out for these RED FLAGS to be safe from online fraud charities.

1. Wire Transfers or Gift Cards Donations? Nope.

When it comes to charitable donations, you cannot ignore some red flags. They are scarlet red if you look keenly and are the same tools used to identify scammers and their tricks.

Several traceable and verified payment options are available for use by charities to collect donations. But if someone insist that you only donate in cash, by gift card or wiring money, it could be a scammer. Don’t do it.

Scammers often use services like Western Union and Moneygram to steal from donors because these payment methods are hard to track. It is their favorite payment options to trap you into their scam. If you have the options to donate via Paypal, credit card or check, those are safe enough provided you’ve done research on the charity.

2. Donate Now! Like, fast.

Don’t be pressured to give by anyone. If you see a charity persisting that you give like hard they’re hard selling a product, ask yourself questions. They could be rushing you to give to hide their true intentions. Sincere charities will welcome donations anytime as long as it is operating and has the need for it..

3. Be Smart, in a Smart World

Admittedly, scammers are smart. They have nearly perfected their craft such that in a just a call or few clicks, they can have access to your personal accounts and get what they want.

If you get a local call from a fundraiser, remember that it could have come from anywhere in the world. Scammers fake their caller ID information, thanks to technology, to look like they are from your home area code. Verify everything.

Another thing. If you are donating online, make sure to check the web address for two things:

• Web name hasn’t been skewed to seem like a familiar, reputable charity.
• And, the web address on the payment checkout page appears as “https”.

That means communication between your browser and the web server is encrypted and secure from third party. But that’s not enough since scammers, too, can encrypt and have their website seem legit. Always do due diligence on any contact that is seeking donations from you.

4. Thanks, but no thanks

When someone thank you, especially your superior, you feel good. But this “thank-you for your donation” letter or call appreciating your generous giving, or a pledge that you made last year -and you can’t remember- should raise a BIG red flag.

This is a tactic scammers use, making you think you’ve already supported their cause to reduce your suspicion and be more willing give. You can also get a mail from an organization or fundraiser encouraging you to contribute so you stand a chance to win.

There isn’t anything to be won, it’s just a scammer with an appetite for your money.

Yey! You’re no longer ripe for potential fraud.

TAKE AWAYS

• Pay attention to the charity’s name and contact details: email, phone number, website and social media handles
  
• Be cautious of email solicitations from contacts you have not interacted with in some way.
  
• Do be ignorant, do some research online to collect and verify any information you want concerning the charity you want to support. Get them, before they get you.
  
• Avoid giving detailed personal information to anyone seeking donations.
  
• Get to know how much of the donation goes to overheads and administration
  
• Keep records of your donations – good of deductible tax.
  
• Donations only via checks or credit cards – not wire transfers, cash or gift cards.
  
• Be skeptic of clicking links in unsolicited email, or social media platforms, as they could be malicious. Delete!