Information reviewed October 8, 2026
Wanting to help is a good instinct. Scammers know that, too.
A text arrives after a storm. A caller mentions a cause you care about. A friend shares a fundraiser you cannot quite place. In each case, you can slow down, ask questions, or decide not to give at all.
This page shares general safety information for readers in the United States. Loving Acts of Kindness does not endorse, recommend, rate, screen, validate, or vouch for any organization or fundraiser. The goal is to help you notice warning signs so your decision stays your own.
Before you respond
Warning signs worth noticing
No single sign proves a request is fraudulent, and a real charity can sometimes make an awkward phone call. Treat these as reasons to pause and check, not reasons to panic. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidance on giving to a charity (opens in a new tab) describes many of them.
Pressure to act right now
A genuine cause can usually wait while you read about it. Be cautious when someone insists you must give today, on this call, or before you can look anything up. Pressure removes the time you need to think.
Names that sound almost familiar
Some scam appeals use names that closely resemble well-known organizations. If a name sounds familiar but a little off, do not rely on memory alone. Look up the exact name yourself and compare it with what the caller, text, or message gave you.
Vague answers about where the money goes
If you ask how a gift will be used and hear only broad phrases about “helping people in need,” take note. A clear request can usually explain who receives help and how, in plain terms.
Claims that you already promised to give
“Thanks for your pledge last year” can be a way to make you feel obligated. If you do not remember pledging, you are not required to confirm, correct, or continue anything on the spot. You can end the conversation and check your own records later.
Caller ID, links, and web addresses that look right
Caller ID can be faked, so a familiar name or local number does not confirm who is calling. Websites can be imitated, too. Watch for lookalike web addresses with an extra word, a swapped letter, or an unusual ending. A padlock or “https” in the address bar is not proof a site is genuine. It means the connection is encrypted, not that the people behind the site are who they claim to be.
Unusual ways to pay
The FTC lists appeals that accept only cryptocurrency, wire transfers, payment apps, gift cards, or cash as a warning sign. That does not mean every use of those methods is a scam. It means a request that allows nothing else deserves extra care. Payments by card or check can be easier to document and may be easier to dispute if something goes wrong, though neither is a guarantee.
A simple routine
A calm pause-and-check routine
You do not need special expertise. Use these steps for any unexpected request, whether it comes by phone, text, email, social media, or from someone at your door.
Pause. Say you need time. “I’ll look into it and decide on my own” is a complete answer.
Write down the exact name. Note the organization’s name, the person’s name, and any contact details they gave you.
Find the organization on your own. Search for the name yourself instead of using a link, number, or email address from the request. Look for contact details that were not supplied by the person asking.
Contact them separately. Use contact information you found independently to ask whether the request is real and how to give if you choose to.
Look at the records that apply. Depending on the situation, that may include tax-exempt status or state records, covered below.
Decide, or decline. Giving is optional. Choosing a different cause, giving later, or not giving are all reasonable outcomes.
Public records
Using IRS and state records carefully
The IRS publishes a Tax Exempt Organization Search (opens in a new tab), and its search guidance (opens in a new tab) explains how the tool works. It can help you check tax-related records, such as whether an organization is listed and whether gifts to it may be deductible.
The search has limits, and they matter:
- It does not confirm that a caller, website, or fundraiser organizer is genuinely connected to the organization.
- It does not show how a particular gift will be used.
- A tax-exempt listing is a record, not a safety endorsement.
- A missing listing does not prove fraud on its own. It is a reason to ask more questions.
The FTC also suggests checking state registration where it applies. Rules vary by state, so treat this as one more piece of information rather than a universal test. Whatever you find, the earlier steps still apply: confirm who is actually asking before you pay.
Online fundraisers
Crowdfunding and fundraising platforms
Online fundraisers can be a warm way to rally around a neighbor or a cause. They also add a layer between you and the person or group you want to help. The FTC’s guidance on donating through crowdfunding and fundraising platforms (opens in a new tab) points to a few questions worth asking:
- Who controls the money? The campaign organizer controls the funds. Verify the organizer separately, not only through the campaign page.
- Who receives it, and how? Check who the intended recipient is and how the money is supposed to reach them.
- What are the fees and timing? Fees can reduce what arrives, and delays can happen.
- What if the named charity cannot receive it? Look for what the campaign says will happen in that case.
- What about taxes? A gift to an individual is not tax deductible just because they promise to pass it along.
If you know the person or organization named in a campaign, you can contact them directly and ask whether the fundraiser is theirs.
When news moves quickly
After a disaster: donation requests and impostors
After floods, fires, and storms, many people want to help right away, and some scams follow the news. Two situations are easy to mix up, so it helps to separate them.
The first is a request for donations, which you can handle with the routine above. The second is someone claiming to be a government aid agency. In a July 2025 warning about disaster-related fraud (opens in a new tab), the FBI’s San Antonio field office noted that government disaster agencies do not call or text to ask for financial information, and that there is no fee to apply for government assistance. If someone claiming to be from an agency asks you for money or bank details, stop and verify through official channels you find yourself.
If something went wrong
If you already sent money
If you think you paid a scammer, it is not a reason for shame. These schemes are designed to be persuasive. Acting quickly can help.
Contact your bank, card issuer, payment app, or other provider right away. Tell them what happened and ask whether the payment can be reversed. The FTC advises doing this immediately.
Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab). The FTC’s page on what to do if you were scammed (opens in a new tab) walks through next steps by payment type.
For a suspicious website, you can also file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) (opens in a new tab).
Keep your records. Save messages, receipts, screenshots, phone numbers, and web addresses.
Reporting also helps others. Even if you cannot recover a payment, your report adds to what officials know about current schemes.
A note on this resource
Kindness can stay thoughtful and safe.
Staying alert does not make you less generous. It means your kindness goes where you intend it to go. Many ways to help cost nothing and need no payment: checking on a neighbor, sharing a meal, or offering an hour of your time.
Informational purposes only
Loving Acts of Kindness does not endorse, recommend, rate, screen, validate, or vouch for any organization or fundraiser, and does not collect or distribute donations. This page offers general safety information, not legal, financial, or tax advice. Whether to give, to whom, and how is always your decision.