Make Your Donations Count: How to Avoid Charity Scams (FTC Video Guide)

Giving to a good cause should feel good. Unfortunately, some groups pretend to be well-known charities or exaggerate how much of your gift reaches the people it is meant to help. This FTC video explains how charity scams work and the questions to ask before you give. Our guide adds free tools for checking any charity in a few minutes.

From the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) · Part of our Online Safety Video Library

What the video shows

Donors and charity experts describe how look-alike groups pretend to be reputable charities and collect money meant for children and struggling families. They explain that scammers take advantage of people’s desire to make a difference.

An FTC official explains that a request to donate by wire transfer or prepaid card is an immediate red flag. She suggests asking how the money will be used, where the organization is located, who runs it, and how much goes directly to the program.

Key takeaways

• Scam charities often use names that sound like well-known organizations.
• Requests to donate by wire transfer, gift card, prepaid card, or cryptocurrency are red flags.
• Ask how your money will be used and how much goes to the program itself.
• Pressure to give right now, especially after a disaster, is a warning sign.
• A few minutes of research helps your money reach the cause you care about.

Check a charity before you give

1. Look up the charity with independent evaluators such as the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, or CharityWatch.
2. Check that the organization is registered with your state’s charity regulator, often part of the attorney general’s office.
3. If you want a tax deduction, confirm the group’s status with the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.
4. Give directly through the charity’s own website rather than through links in unexpected messages.
5. Pay by credit card or check, keep a record of your donation, and report suspicious appeals at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Giving after a disaster or tragedy

Scammers move quickly after hurricanes, wildfires, and other tragedies. Be careful with crowdfunding pages and social media posts that ask for help; give to people you know personally or to established organizations already working in the affected area. If a caller thanks you for a donation you do not remember making, that is a common trick to get you to pay.

Common questions

A caller says they are collecting for police or firefighters. Is it real?

It may be a paid fundraiser that keeps much of the money, or a scam. Ask how much goes to the cause, and donate directly to the local organization instead.

Is it safe to give through social media?

It can be, if you know the person or organization. Verify the charity independently before giving through any link.

What if I already gave to a fake charity?

If you paid by credit card, contact your card company to dispute the charge, and report the group to your state charity regulator and the FTC.

Related guides

• How Scammers Tell You to Pay (Video Guide)
• Gift Cards Are Only for Gifts
• Impersonation Scams: How to Spot Them
• Why Report Fraud? (Video Guide)

About this video

This video was produced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a U.S. government agency, and plays from the agency’s own channel. Juggling Chaos wrote this summary and guide; we are not affiliated with or endorsed by the agency. Some details on screen, such as phone models or web addresses, may look dated, but the advice still applies. Checked October 7, 2026.

The FTC’s donation tips are at Donating Safely and Avoiding Scams.