Hopefully, you were not impacted by the recent Hurricane Ian and are safe and sound. But, there are thousands of individuals who may have lost their entire life’s accumulation. And, being the kind-hearted person you are, you want to donate funds to help these unfortunate individuals.
In the world we live in today, criminals take advantage of a disaster and solicit funds for fake charities. Also, scammers sometimes pose as a federal agency to dupe disaster victims who are trying to get relief.
If you want to help those less fortunate, don’t fall for solicitations received by phone, social media, email, or in person. Make certain that your donation is going to a reputable organization – one that you initiated the donation. And, when you do donate, remember to keep the receipt for the donation for income tax purposes.
To check the status of a charity, use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool located here. If the charity isn’t listed in this database, it is not a qualified charity that you can claim a deduction on your income taxes for any donations made.
All donations should be made via check or credit card so that you have a record of the donation. DO NOT make cash donations or donations via a service such as Western Union.
You may think that a solicitation for a donation that is identified as a well-known charity, such as the American Red Cross, is legitimate. But, just like an individual, organizational identities can also be stolen. Rather than make a donation in response to a phone call, email or text, go directly to the charity to make your donation. Look on the charity’s website for how to make a donation or initiate a phone call to make a donation; this ensures that your donation is going to the legitimate charity and not to some scam organization claiming to be that charity.
If you are a disaster victim, beware as well. Scammers can claim to be from a disaster relief program and obtain your personal information and then fraudulently use your information for their benefit. The IRS provides disaster assistance by calling 866.562.5227.