Giving online makes it easy to support causes you care about, but it also gives scammers opportunities to exploit generosity. Criminals create copycat charity websites, impersonate legitimate organizations, launch misleading crowdfunding campaigns, and send urgent donation requests after disasters.
When possible, start at the charity’s official website instead of clicking a donation link in an email, text, advertisement, or social media post. Direct navigation gives you more control over where your money and personal information go.
Is donating directly to a charity safer?
Donating through a charity’s verified website reduces the number of organizations handling your payment and personal information. It also helps you avoid fraudulent links that imitate a legitimate organization.
The Charity and Disaster Fraud guidance from the FBI recommends giving to established charities whose work you know and trust. The FBI also advises donors to manually type website addresses instead of clicking unfamiliar links.
However, donating directly is not an automatic guarantee of safety. A professional-looking website can still belong to a fake organization. You should verify the charity independently before entering a card number, address, or other personal information.
Why do charity scams work so well?
Charity scams exploit emotion and urgency. A request may mention disaster victims, children, veterans, medical care, animals, or another cause that encourages immediate action.
Scammers may contact potential donors through:
- Emails and text messages
- Social media posts and advertisements
- Crowdfunding campaigns
- Telephone calls
- Direct messages
- Copycat charity websites
- QR codes at events or in public places
The FTC’s charity scam resources warn that scammers often take advantage of major disasters and popular giving seasons when people feel motivated to help quickly.
The financial consequences can be significant. In one charity enforcement matter highlighted by the Federal Trade Commission, a sham cancer charity collected more than $18 million from donors between 2017 and 2022, while the complaint alleged that only about one penny from every donated dollar supported the assistance described to donors.
How can you verify an online charity before donating?
Pause before paying and complete a few independent checks.
Confirm the charity’s legal identity
Use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search to review an organization’s federal tax-exempt status, eligibility to receive tax-deductible contributions, and available filings. The IRS tool lets you search by the organization’s name or Employer Identification Number.
Confirm that the name and location match the organization you intend to support. Copycat charities may use names that differ from established organizations by only one or two words.
Tax-exempt status confirms a legal classification, but it does not automatically tell you whether the charity uses donations effectively. Continue researching before giving.
Review independent charity information
The BBB Wise Giving Alliance publishes free reports based on standards covering governance, finances, effectiveness reporting, transparency, and fundraising practices. You can use BBB charity reports and donor resources to research organizations before making a contribution.
Candid’s GuideStar nonprofit database also provides information about IRS-recognized tax-exempt organizations, including financial details, leadership, mission information, and available Form 990 filings.
Use more than one source if you are unfamiliar with the charity.
Navigate to the website independently
Do not use the donation button in an unexpected message. Search for the organization independently, compare the address with trusted listings, and type the verified web address into your browser.
The FBI warns donors to watch for copycat names and avoid providing personal information in response to unsolicited emails, calls, or text messages.
Are third-party donation platforms safe?
Some third-party platforms serve a legitimate purpose. They may process donations for smaller nonprofits, combine contributions to multiple charities, support anonymous giving, or provide centralized receipts.
For example, Charity Navigator describes its Giving Basket as a tool for donating to multiple eligible charities while controlling how much personal information is shared.
Before using any intermediary, check:
- Whether the charity is eligible to receive the donation
- Whether the charity recognizes or recommends the platform
- How much the platform charges in processing or transaction fees
- Whether an optional tip is added automatically
- How long the platform takes to distribute funds
- What personal information the platform collects
- Whether you will receive an appropriate donation receipt
- Whether recurring contributions are clearly disclosed
Do not rely on an old list of recommended platforms. Services merge, close, change ownership, or modify their policies. Verify a platform’s current identity, fees, privacy policy, and disbursement process at the time of donation.
Which payment methods are safest for online donations?
The FBI recommends donating by credit card or check and warns that a charity asking for cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers is probably a scam.
A credit card generally provides a payment record and a way to dispute fraudulent charges. Avoid donation requests that demand:
- Gift card numbers
- Cryptocurrency
- Wire transfers
- Cash sent to an individual
- Access to your bank account
- A verification code
- Your online banking password
No legitimate charity needs your password or multifactor authentication code to accept a donation.
What should you check on the donation page?
Before submitting payment:
- Confirm the charity’s exact name.
- Inspect the website address for misspellings.
- Make sure the connection uses HTTPS.
- Review the donation amount and processing fees.
- Check whether the donation is one-time or recurring.
- Read how your personal information will be used.
- Save the confirmation and receipt.
- Monitor your card statement afterward.
HTTPS encrypts information sent to the website, but it does not prove that the organization operating the site is legitimate. Independent charity verification remains essential.
How does donating directly help someone become safer online?
Direct, independently verified giving reduces opportunities for scammers and unknown intermediaries to control the transaction.
This approach helps someone become safer online by:
- Avoiding phishing links in emotional appeals
- Reducing unnecessary sharing of payment and personal data
- Confirming that the organization exists before paying
- Limiting surprise fees and unwanted recurring donations
- Creating a reliable transaction record
- Preventing criminals from redirecting generosity to fake campaigns
These habits apply beyond charitable giving. Independent verification can also protect you from fake invoices, fraudulent payment pages, impersonation scams, and misleading crowdfunding requests.
What should you do if you donated to a scam?
Act quickly:
- Contact your card issuer or bank.
- Ask whether the payment can be stopped or disputed.
- Change any passwords entered on the fraudulent page.
- Monitor financial accounts for unauthorized activity.
- Save emails, texts, receipts, screenshots, and website details.
- Report the incident through the FTC’s official fraud-reporting service.
- Report charity or disaster fraud to the FBI through the reporting options identified in its charity-fraud guidance
Your safe online donation checklist
Before giving:
- Research the charity independently.
- Check its status through the IRS.
- Review independent charity reports.
- Type the verified website address yourself.
- Prefer the charity’s official donation page.
- Review fees and distribution policies on third-party platforms.
- Pay by credit card or check.
- Avoid rushed requests and unusual payment methods.
- Save the donation receipt.
- Review your financial statement afterward.
The bottom line
Giving directly through a verified charity website is often the simplest and safest option, but the word “direct” does not replace research. Confirm the organization through the IRS, review independent reports, inspect the payment page, and use a traceable payment method.
A reputable third-party platform can also be appropriate when the charity recognizes it and the platform clearly explains its fees, privacy practices, and distribution process. The safest donation is not simply the fastest one. Pause, verify, and make sure your generosity reaches the cause you intended.
