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It’s the officially season of giving and many of us are inspired between Giving Tuesday and the end of the year to reach out to those in need, to organizations that do the work that inspires and impassions us or work to find a cure for diseases that afflict a loved one…
There’s a charity out there for everyone that does the work they find meaningful. Be advised though, as per the IRS and the FTC, to be on the lookout for scammers who set up fake organizations to take advantage of your generosity. They especially take advantage of tragedies and disasters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or Hurricane Ida floods, or the recent tornadoes that wreaked such havoc across the country. The following tips from the IRS’ Dirty Dozen of Tax-Related Scams and the Federal Trade Commission’s Before Giving to a Charity include helpful advice for how to give wisely.
Research online for the cause that you care about. Type in your interest such as “homelessness” or “cancer research” or “environmental advocacy” — 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.
Then 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.
Check out the charity at a website that helps you research charities. Charity Navigator is a great resource for guiding your non-profit giving. It is a non-profit dedicated to providing data, tools, and resources to guide your philanthropic decision-making. It rates over 160,000 nonprofits showing donors how efficiently they believe a charity will use their support, how well it has sustained its programs and services over time, and their level of commitment to good governance, best practices, and openness with information.
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 with your state’s charity regulator.
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.
Scams requesting donations for disaster relief efforts are especially common on the phone. Taxpayers should always check out a charity before they donate, and they should not feel pressured to give immediately.
Report scams to
Office of the Attorney General
Division of Consumer Affairs
Charities Registration Section
P.O. Box 45021
Newark, New Jersey 07101
(973) 504-6215
(800) 242-5846
When you report a charity scam, share any information you have — like the name and phone number of the organization or fundraiser, how the fundraiser contacted you, and what the fundraiser said.
Here’s hoping that these helpful tips from the friendly folks at the IRS and the FTC help steer you in the right direction for your holiday giving this season so that you can feel confident that the funds that you give actually help those affected or the cause you care most about. Happy Holiday Giving!