The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Federal Trade Commission have repeatedly warned that scammers exploit emotional giving by impersonating or inventing charities. In the aftermath of emergencies—or during peak giving seasons like the holidays—it’s more important than ever to verify that the organization you’re supporting is legitimate before you donate.
Charity has been a part of human culture for thousands of years, providing support and resources to those in need when they need it most.
And the giving trend remains strong: U.S. charitable contributions across individuals, bequests, foundations and corporations totaled an estimated $592.50 billion in 2024, with individuals contributing the largest share.
Sadly, those stats make for an irresistible target for a special breed of scammers: fake fundraisers who know just how to pull your heart (and purse) strings.
Whether you're actively looking for a charity to help or are contacted directly by one, there are consistent scam hallmarks to watch out for.
Common charity and donation scams
Scammers might build entire fundraising schemes designed to look real, urgent, and emotionally compelling.
Here’s how the most common charity or donation scams unfold:
Fake disaster relief funds: Within hours of a natural disaster or crisis hitting the news, scammers launch fake relief funds using emotional language, stolen images, and urgent pleas like “families need help now.” They may promote these campaigns through social media, texts, or pop-up websites, encouraging donors to act fast.
Impersonation of real charities: Instead of creating a new cause, scammers mimic established nonprofits by copying logos, branding, and even URL formats. Their websites or social pages look nearly identical to the real organization, tricking donors into giving under the false belief that the money is going to a known and trusted charity.
Crowdfunding fraud: Scammers exploit the personal nature of crowdfunding by posting emotional stories—like a sick child, a funeral, or a community tragedy—using photos or details taken from other websites or social accounts. These campaigns appear authentic and urgent, leading people to donate before confirming whether the person or situation is real.
High-pressure phone drives: These scams involve aggressive fundraising calls that pressure you to “donate right now,” sometimes using guilt or emotional manipulation. The caller may even claim to represent a well-known charity and push to collect your credit card number over the phone, discouraging you from researching the organization first.
Identity theft disguised as donations: Instead of asking directly for money, these scammers request personal information—such as your Social Security number, bank account details, or date of birth— claiming it’s required to issue a tax receipt or process your donation. In reality, their goal is to steal your identity or gain access to your financial accounts.
Donation matching scams: Scammers promise that a corporate partner will match or triple any donation made “today only,” creating urgency and pushing donors to give larger amounts. Only the matching sponsor doesn’t exist, and once the money is transferred, the scammer disappears.
Merchandise-based charity scams: Fraudsters may sell shirts, mugs, wristbands, or other merchandise claiming proceeds will support a charitable cause. In reality, the items are never shipped, or the charity never receives any funds. The scammer simply pockets the profit.
Once you understand how these scams work, it becomes easier to filter out risky solicitations from legitimate appeals.
Warning signs of a scam charity solicitation
The Federal Trade Comission (FTC) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have warned the public about charity scams for years, noting that they can appear in many forms: emails, social media posts, crowdfunding platforms, cold calls, and more.
Since charity scammers can be aggressive, start with defensive moves. The most important one is not to react to a pressured, emotional, or personal pitch.
You can also tell a legitimate charity solicitation from a scam one by observing how they operate.
Fake charity: Pressures you to donate quickly, often on the spot. Legit charity: Accepts donations at any time and at your convenience.
Fake charity: Asks for wire transfers, money orders, cash, or crypto, to be sent to an individual person. Legit charity: Accepts credit and debit card donations via secure platforms.
Fake charity: Offers no record of your donation. Real charity: Offers a donation receipt for you to submit to the IRS.
Fake charity: Calls, emails, or texts repeatedly, even after you’ve told them to stop. Legit charity: Honors any “don’t contact” line you draw in the sand. (Keep in mind, fundraisers are allowed to contact people on the National Do Not Call Registry. However, if you ask, legit charities should add you to their internal don’t call list and abide.)
Fake charity: Asks to be taken off speakerphone, if you’re alone, or if you can go into a room to be alone so no one else can question their pitch. Real charity: Respects your privacy and autonomy and openly shares their pitch.
Fake charity: Has no recourse for your questions. Real charity: Welcomes you to speak to a manager, file a complaint, etc.
Classic signs of a charity scam
Sites and organizations founded at the same time as crises occurs
URLs that are misspelled versions of legitimate charities or causes
Donation requests from strangers who say they know you or your family
Emails asking you to click on internal links or download attachments
Choosing a legitimate charity
Now that you know the red flags of a scam charity, consider offensive moves that will help you pick one you can trust.
Check the databases: Use trusted search engines to see how a charity ranks in terms of its financial responsibility, track record, transparency, and more. You can access reliable charities (and their legitimate sites) directly from many of these and donate to the groups via their own secure platform. The top charity databases include America’s Charities, Candid (formerly GuideStar), Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, and Give.org from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance.
Find out if the charity is tax-exempt: Charities with tax-exempt status (which is no simple feat) earn a listing in the government's database of IRS-approved organizations. Donations to these reputable charities are most often tax-deductible. Besides verifying an organization’s name and mission, search results from this database yields past tax returns.
Search the charity on search engines: Enter the charity’s name along with words like “scam,” “complaint,” “fraud,” and “fake” into a variety of search engines. If what you find doesn’t sit well, don’t donate. Further, search for the company on the BBB's Scam Tracker.
Charity scam in real life
One anonymous victim from New Mexico posted their experience with a charity scam on the BBB Scam Tracker:
“I donated $50 to an organization claiming to help firefighters. Since then, I have received hundreds of calls from the organization asking for more money. They use a different phone number every time they call, almost always with a New Mexico area code (505 or 575). Now, they’re starting to call me using 689 area code.
I have asked them repeatedly to stop calling me and have blocked all the phone numbers they’ve used, but it doesn't matter. They continued to call me, oftentimes multiple times each day, including on weekends.”
Find reputable charities through a giving portal: Giving portals, like Global Giving and GoFundMe Causes, act as a go-between for donors and charities. Using these, you can donate to a general cause or to specific organizations. The drawback? Giving portals take a small percentage of your donation for operating and marketing costs (Global Giving, for example, takes up to 15 cents out of every donated dollar. Your charity would get the remaining 85 cents and then deduct their own costs).
Stick with long-standing charities. Because scammers rush to take advantage of the most current disaster or cause, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) suggests you donate to tried-and-true, well-established organizations. Each year, Forbes ranks the top 100 such grossing charities; check out this 2024 Forbes list as a starting point.
What to do if you give money to a fake charity
Charity scammers excel at one-to-one hoodwinking, but with Allstate Identity Protection on your side, you don't have to combat them alone. If you suspect something is a scam, remember that you're in control: You can hang up or walk away.
If you think you’ve handed over funds to a scam charity, our expert specialists are here to guide you through what’s next. Because your generosity should be gifted to charities, not criminals.
