Donating Safely: Avoiding Charity Scams
October 22, 2024
With the numerous natural disasters devasting thousands of communities and the holiday season coming up, it’s important to be vigilant about charity scams. When you decide to support a cause you care about, you want your donation to count. Here are some tips to help you plan your donation before you give – and avoid charity scams.
5 Things to do the Before Donating to a Charity
- Search online for the cause you care about — like “hurricane relief” or “homeless kids” — plus phrases like “best charity” or “highly rated charity.” Once you find a specific charity you’re considering giving to, search its name plus “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” “fraud,” or “scam.” If you find bad reviews, it might be best to find another organization.
2. Check out the charity’s website. Does it give you details about the programs you want to support or how it uses donations? How much of your donation will go directly to support the programs you care about? If you can’t find detailed information about a charity’s mission and programs, be suspicious.
3. Use one of these organizations that help you research charities:
4. Find out if the fundraiser and the charity are registered. Some states require that charities register with the state regulator. Check to see if a fundraiser and the charity they’re calling on behalf of are registered in Minnesota at https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Charity/.
5. Check if the donation will be tax deductible. If this is important to you, confirm that the organization you’re donating to is registered with the IRS as a tax-exempt organization. Look up the organization in the IRS’s Tax Exempt Organization Search.
Avoid Donating to a Fake Charity
- Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. Scammers rush you so there’s no time to research their claims or think it through.
- Don’t trust your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information. Calls can look like they come from your local area code, or from a specific organization, even if they don’t. In reality, the caller could be anywhere in the world.
- If the fundraiser says you already pledged, stop and check. They may lie and say — in a phone call or a mailer — that you already pledged to make the donation, or that you donated to them last year. They think that means you’ll be more willing to donate.
- Listen carefully to the name of the charity, write it down, and then research it. Some scammers use names that sound a lot like other charities to trick you. Do some research before you give.
- Watch out for sentimental claims with few details. Be suspicious if you hear a lot of vague sentimental claims, for example, that the charity helps many families that can’t afford cancer treatment and veterans wounded at war who can’t work, but don’t get specifics about how your donation will be used.
- Don’t donate with a wire transfer or gift card. Anyone asking you to donate this way is a scammer.
- Sweepstakes winning in exchange for a donation? Nope. If someone guarantees you’ll win a prize or contest if you contribute, that’s a scam. You won’t win anything, and your donation money will go to a scammer.
Information brought to you by Catholic Charities Financial and Housing Counseling.
Resources:
https://consumer.ftc.gov/shopping-and-donating/donating-charity
https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/donating-safely-and-avoiding-scams
https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Charity/
https://www.ag.state.mn.us/consumer/publications/GivingToCharities.asp
Our Recent News
If you ask anyone at Emergency Services, they’ll tell you the same thing: Nikki is unstoppable. Every single day, she goes above and beyond for Catholic Charities, our clients, and her team. Nikki is a proud mom of two, and her youngest recently moved out on their own. Life hasn’t always been easy—she lost her children’s father suddenly in 2006, a time she describes as chaotic and life-changing. Today, she’s in a happy relationship and loves spending time at the cabin, traveling, riding motorcycle, and making the yearly trip to Sturgis. Catholic Charities “found” Nikki in a very full-circle way. At the time, she was helping her dad with his job as a grocery vendor—the same stores that donate to Catholic Charities. difference for the community every day. At the end of each night, she lays her head down knowing she helped someone—and that’s what keeps her going. When her dad broke his elbow, Nikki stepped in to help him. Her strong work ethic caught the attention of a Catholic Charities program manager who had grown up with her dad. He saw something special in her and offered her a position. Her first assignment? Driving the Catholic Charities food truck—even though she had never driven a truck before. She remembers being terrified backing down the ramps, but her supervisor simply told her, “Keep it between the yellow lines.” She did—and that moment sparked the confidence that has fueled her ever since. Over the past 13 years, Nikki has worked in nearly every corner of Emergency Services. Nikki originally got pulled into Mardi Gras because her mom is crafty, and she’s been involved ever since. She especially loves the decorating and seeing everything come together. Last year’s event was particularly wild with so many new people, but Nikki’s natural leadership helped bring everyone together to create a fantastic experience. When asked what motivates her, Nikki doesn’t hesitate: positive thinking. “Negative thoughts will never give you a positive life,” she says. She believes positivity is contagious, and her mantra is simple: Do the best you can with what you have, take it one day at a time, and always pay it forward.
When Mary reached out to FHC, she was overwhelmed and worried about losing her home. A devoted wife and mother with a strong career, she never expected that sudden health issues would reduce her income and cause her to fall behind on her mortgage. Missing several payments left her feeling vulnerable and unsure of where to turn. Once her health improved and she returned to full-time work, Mary was determined to regain control of her finances. She partnered with a housing counselor who helped her take a clear look at her household budget, identify areas to reduce expenses, and create a realistic plan to address her debt. During the process, Mary shared heartfelt gratitude with her counselor: “I can’t thank you enough for being my voice when I couldn’t advocate for myself and not judging me for my mishaps. I’m thankful Catholic Charities is part of our community and is a blessing for many.” With renewed confidence, Mary contacted her mortgage company to explore available workout options. Because her illness qualified as a hardship, she was eligible for a partial claim. This option allowed her to resume regular mortgage payments while moving the past-due balance to the end of her loan—giving her the breathing room she needed. Today, Mary feels empowered and more intentional about managing her household finances. She has also brought her husband into the budgeting process, realizing she doesn’t have to shoulder everything alone. This experience has strengthened her confidence and set her family on a path toward long-term financial stability.
Nick’s story isn’t easy to tell - but it’s powerful. He grew up in a world that didn’t give him much. Abuse, neglect, and instability were part of his everyday life. As a kid, Nick felt like he didn’t measure up. He didn’t have what other kids had, and he learned to lie - not to hurt anyone, but to protect himself. It was a survival skill that followed him into adulthood, where it stopped serving him and started hurting him. Drugs, broken relationships, court dates, Nick was stuck in a cycle that felt impossible to escape. But three years ago, something shifted. Nick entered treatment, and this time, he was ready. It wasn’t just about getting clean it was about rebuilding. And for the first time, people started believing in him. That belief made all the difference. Slowly, Nick began to see what others saw in him: potential, strength, and a future worth fighting for. Through the Catholic Charities Men’s Domestic Violence Program, Nick found something he’d never really had before. Real friendship, trust, and support. A supervisor gave him rides to work and treated him with respect. His housemates at the halfway house had his back. The men’s group became a safe space where Nick could grow. He joined a church. He started going to AA six times a week. He was building momentum, and he didn’t want to lose it. When Nick finished the program, he didn’t walk away. He asked himself, “What now?” and decided to keep showing up. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He knew he could help others. He understood the fear, the ego, the resistance to change, but because he’d lived it. And now, he was ready to help others break through those walls. Today, Nick leads the very group that helped change his life. He’s been promoted at work. He’s dreaming big and thinking about school, about becoming a counselor, about going all the way to the top. And we believe he will. Because Nick is the kind of person who lifts others up, who shows up even when it’s hard, and who never stops trying to be better. At Catholic Charities, we see how incredible Nick is. We’re proud to have him on our team—and we’re cheering him on every step of the way. The sky’s the limit, Nick. Keep doing amazing things!
