Stop Veteran Charity Scams
#DonateWithHonor Find it here.
Stop Veteran Charity Scams
The breadth of the illegality alleged in Operation Donate with Honor cases is striking. Some operators claimed to be collecting for homeless or disabled vets and then simply kept the cash. Others spent the lion’s share on their own salaries and to hire for-profit fundraisers. In another example, “charities” claimed to raise funds to send care packages or phone cards to deployed troops only to spend pennies for that purpose. The defendants duped donors in a variety of ways, including misleading door-to-door campaigns and solicitations outside stores, bogus raffles, deceptive direct mail, illegal telemarketing, and false statements on websites.
On this episode of Inside the FBI, learn how charity fraud scams work, how to avoid being conned, and how to report suspected incidents (4m 25s):
Check out @FTC’s new video on how veteran charity scams work and how to avoid them (1m 30s):
Check out this PSA on stopping veteran charity scams (30s):
Spot and Avoid Fake Charities
Many legitimate charities support service members and their families, but some will spend nearly all of your donation on fees and administration. Other organizations are outright scams. Just because it has an official-sounding name and official-looking website, shows people in military uniform, or uses the logo of a military branch doesn’t mean it’s a legitimate charity. But how can you tell? Follow these tips before you donate.
Before You Donate To A Charity
Before donating to a charity, please review our Charitable giving tips. These tips will help you make informed decisions and to ensure your good intentions are not exploited.
Research the charity to avoid donating to a scammer. How? Visit ftc.gov for more info.
If someone wants donations in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money, don’t do it. That’s how scammers ask you to pay. To be safer, pay by credit card or check so you can cancel payment if it turns out to be a scam. Make your donation count. Ask questions before you donate like “How much of my money is going to the charity?”
Before clicking on a link to donate online, make sure you know who is receiving your donation. Read “Online giving portals: what should you know?” for more information.
If you see any red flags, or if you’re not sure about how a charity will use your donation, consider giving to a different charity. There are many worthy organizations who will use your donation wisely. Learn more: ftc.gov/charity.