Stay Safe When Donating Online

If you are like most people, you give more during the holidays. Don’t let your kindness make you a victim. Follow these tips to stay safe when donating online. 

Never click a link you see in a social media post, text, or an email. Fake charities are on the rise and often difficult to spot. The information may look legitimate and that’s because scammers have become digitally savvy. There have also been cases of well-known charities being impersonated by scammers online. Instead of clicking the link at first glance, do some research.

If the charity requested donations of cash, gift cards, or crypto they are fraudulent. Don’t even waste your time by searching any further. Real charities accept donations year-round and prefer donations be made by check or credit card for record keeping purposes. Even 501c3 organizations must file taxes. 

Go to the internet and search the name of the charity before donating.  If they have a website explore it but do not click links. Real charities have registered with the IRS and can be found when doing a tax exempt organization search. Search their social media platforms and read reviews. Even if you discover an organization is legit, that may not mean they are worthy of your donation. 

CharityWatch.org is a free site that has most charities listed and rated. Their rating system is based on how much of the donations go to the cause, and how much it costs to raise every $100 donated. For example, The Alzheimer’s Association is well-known and highly rated. But they only have a B+ rating because they give 76% to the cause and spend $21 to raised $100 in contributions. The A rated charities can give over 80% to the cause because they spend less on advertising. 

Remember that scams increase after natural disasters and during the holidays. People tend to open their hearts and wallets when the feel need is greater. Stay safe when donating online and give to local organizations that are familiar.