Charity scam

What it means

A scammer uses a disaster, illness, memorial, war, animal rescue, or emotional story to collect donations for a fake or misleading cause.

Example

A social media post asks for urgent donations after a disaster but links to a personal payment account with no charity information.

Warning signs

• The appeal is highly emotional and urgent.
• The charity name is close to a real one but not exact.
• Payment goes to a person instead of an organization.
• There is little public information about the fundraiser.

Safer next steps

• Donate through the charity’s official website.
• Research the organization before giving.
• Be careful with viral posts and direct messages.
• Avoid pressure to donate immediately.