I want to make a donation, but how do I make sure I'm sending my contribution the right way?

Once you have concluded your research and chosen a charity, here are tips for safely making a contribution:

 

Safety Tips:

  • Never pay with wire transfers or gift cards. This is the first sign of a scam. If someone asks you to pay using these methods, STOP. Scammers request these methods because the are difficult to track.
  • Don’t give out secure information. Remember that fundraising contributions don’t require highly secure information such as your social security or bank account numbers.
  • Never donate with cryptocurrency. If you are asked to contribute with cryptocurrency, most likely you are being scammed.
  • If you are making a payment through a website, confirm that the charity is a legitimate organization and that the website is secure. You can verify this if the web address starts with “https://.” If you see this, then the site is secure and information is encrypted and transmitted securely. However, just because the site shows it is secure, the website may not always be legitimate. Make sure you use the previously listed resources to do your research before making a payment online.

Things to Keep an Eye Out For:

  • Charity fundraising calls can only be made between 8am and 9pm.
  • They have to tell you the name of the charity and the reason for their call.
  • They cannot use robocalls or pre-recorded messages to reach you and they must give you a way to opt-out of future calls.
  • They need to tell the truth about the charity, the mission of the charity, if your donation is tax deductible, how the donation will be used, and if the charity has an affiliation with the government.

Once you have made your donation, keep a record and monitor your bank account and credit card statements. You’ll want to confirm that you were charged the correct amount and that you have not been signed up for recurring donations. Additionally, for tax purposes, you will need a receipt of your donation, so be sure to get this from the charity upon payment.

LEARN MORE IN ONLINE SAFETY