Protect your donation from charitable impersonators
Entering the holiday season and with the end of the year approaching, many Wisconsinites will make donations to charities, non-profits and other organizations. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), and Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), have partnered to provide important reminders for donors, to help ensure their money goes to legitimate causes they want to support, instead of scammers.
“Many people want to give back to the communities and causes they care about most,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “Sadly, scammers impersonate real charities and non-profits, or create fake ones that do not fulfill their stated mission. This harms both donors and legitimate organizations.”
Do research before donating. Real charities want a donation for honest purposes, but they do not need it immediately. If a solicitor is pressuring to pay right away, be cautious. Take time to learn about the organization before giving.
Ask for more details if solicited for a donation. Legitimate charitable organizations can provide their name, address and phone number, and will explain how much of the donation will be used for the charitable purpose vs. other costs.
Do not open links or attachments in unsolicited charity emails, texts or social media posts. Even if they appear real, these may be fraudulent or contain harmful viruses.
Avoid imposter scammers. Before giving to a wellknown charity or non-profit, verify it’s the organization’s real website and not a convincing replica created by scammers. Check the web address for spelling errors and other discrepancies that could signify a scam.
Avoid using unsecure payment methods, like cash, cryptocurrency, payment apps or money transfers (wiring money). It is nearly impossible to reverse these transactions in cases of fraud. Use a credit card or write a check directly to the organization.
“Not only will scammers try to trick you into paying them directly – they could also make fraudulent charges to your credit card or bank account in a real charity’s name, to test stolen financial information,” said DFI secretary Cheryll Olson-Collins. “Pay close attention to your bank and credit card statements. If you notice a charge from a charitable organization that you aren’t familiar with or don’t remember giving to, it could be fraud.”
Inform the attached financial institution right away and work with them to secure the account. Don’t let scammers take advantage of generosity.
To learn more about a charitable organization, use resources like CharityNavigator.org or Give.org. To review the DFI’s donor resources, visit dfi.wi.gov, to reduce unwanted solicitations and research charitable organizations. To verify a charitable organization or professional fundraiser is registered with the DFI, search the DFI’s database.
