Today is GiveBIG day, a day to make donations to charities. GiveBIG began in 2011 as an idea by the Seattle Foundation to get people to donate to King County and Washington state nonprofit organizations. Many organizations throughout the nation are now asking for donations on GiveBIG day.
Charity checklist
Take the following precautions to make sure your donation benefits the people and organizations you want to help.
- Ask for detailed information about the charity, including name, address, and telephone number.
- Get the exact name of the organization and do some research. Searching the name of the organization online – especially with the word “complaint(s)” or “scam” – is one way to learn about its reputation.
- Call the charity. Find out if the organization is aware of the solicitation and has authorized the use of its name. The organization’s development staff should be able to help you.
- Find out if the charity or fundraiser must be registered in your state by contacting the National Association of State Charity Officials.
- Check if the charity is trustworthy by contacting the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, or GuideStar.
- Keep a record of your donations.
- Make an annual donation plan. That way, you can decide which causes to support and which reputable charities should receive your donations.
- Visit this Internal Revenue Service (IRS) webpage to find out which organizations are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
- Never send cash donations. For security and tax purposes, it’s best to pay by check – made payable to the charity – or by credit card.
- Don’t provide your credit or check card number, bank account number, or any personal information until you’ve thoroughly researched the charity.
- Ask local agencies if they’ve heard of groups claiming to help your local community, for example, local police or firefighters before you donate.
- Be informed about texting contributions. If you text to donate, the charge will show up on your mobile phone bill. If you've asked your mobile phone provider to block premium text messages – texts that cost extra – then you won't be able to donate this way.
Signs of a charity scam
Charities and fundraisers use the phone, face-to-face contact, email, the internet, including social networking sites, and mobile devices to ask for donations. Scammers use these same methods, too. Avoid any charity or fundraiser that:
- Refuses to provide detailed information about its identity, mission, costs, and how the donation will be used.
- Won't provide proof that a contribution is tax-deductible.
- Uses a name that closely resembles that of a better-known, reputable organization.
- Thank you for a pledge you don’t remember making.
- Uses high-pressure tactics such as trying to get you to donate immediately, without giving you time to think about it and do research.
- Asks for donations in cash or asks you to wire money.
- Offers to send a courier or overnight delivery service to collect the donation immediately.
- Guarantees sweepstakes winnings in exchange for a contribution. By law, you never have to give a donation to be eligible to win sweepstakes.
Charities and the Do Not Call Registry
The National Do Not Call Registry gives you a way to reduce telemarketing calls, but it exempts charities and political groups. However, if a fundraiser is calling on behalf of a charity, you may ask not to get any more calls from that charity. If those calls continue, the fundraiser can be subject to a fine.
Report charity scams
If you think you’ve been the victim of a charity scam or if a fundraiser has violated Do Not Call rules, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, the state agency that regulates charities in your state, or your state's Attorney General’s Office.
