Charity scams after a disaster, and how to check before you give

After a disaster, appeals for help arrive by text, social media and phone. Research a charity before you give to it.

Search first

Search online for the cause you care about, with terms like "hurricane relief" or "wildfire recovery". Then search the charity's name with words like "complaint" or "scam" to look for bad reviews. If the request came through social media, look into that too. A request isn't legitimate just because a friend posted it.

Look the charity up

Charity Watch and Give.org let you look a charity up. Some watchdog groups, including the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Watch, keep lists of well-rated charities. Check whether it's an established organization or one that appeared overnight with no real way to help.

Check the registration

Check that the charity, and any fundraiser calling on its behalf, is registered with your state's charity regulator.

Ask where the money goes

Look on the charity's website for details of its programs and how it uses donations. Find out exactly how much of a donation goes to the people the charity says it helps. If you can't find detailed information about a charity's mission and programs, be suspicious.

Text appeals

If someone asks you to donate by text, check the charity's website first and confirm you have the right number.

How it asks to be paid

Don't donate to anyone who says you can pay only by cash, gift card, wire or cryptocurrency. Legitimate charities accept donations in many different ways.

Phone appeals

If someone calls asking you to donate, ask for the charity's exact name, website and mailing address. Some callers use names that sound like large, well-known charities. The caller is most likely a paid fundraiser, so call the charity directly and ask how much of a donation goes to its programs.

After you give

Check your bank and credit card statements. You should be charged only the amount you agreed to give, with no recurring donation you didn't mean to set up. Keep a record of each donation.

An annotated example

What to do next

Before giving after a disaster, search the charity's name with "scam" and look it up on a watchdog site. Give through the charity's own website or a number you've confirmed there.