Gov. Andy Beshear is taking action to help protect Team Kentucky by publishing a Charitable Giving Guide that advises how to verify legitimate charities and avoid charity scams, which can increase during the Christmas season and as the tax season draws to an end.
According to the Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2019, 23,645 Kentuckians reported fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2019, with reported losses totaling $10.5 million.
The Charitable Giving Guide recommends the following tips:
- Plan your giving in advance
Don’t respond to mass charity solicitations, suspicious charity requests that scammers typically use on social media ads, by phone or through email. Make sure you are donating to a known charity with an established track record. - Research charities
Only donations made to qualified charities are tax-deductible. Donors who are not familiar with a charitable organization should verify their 501(c)(3) status and what percentage of their income goes to the charity’s purpose. There are several online watchdog websites where donors can verify this information and look over charity reviews, leadership and annual report information.- BBB Wise Giving Alliance
- Charity Navigator
- Charity Watch
- GuideStar
- IRS
- The Office of the Attorney General also maintains information on active charitable organizations registered in Kentucky and safe ways to give.
- Identify a charity aligned with your values
Before making a donation, think about which organizations align with your values. Don’t be afraid to ask a fundraiser about the organization’s mission, goals and history of success in supporting veterans, children, animals, food insecurity or other worthy causes you care about. Consider if you want your donation to support a large or small, local, national or international charity. - Decide the appropriate donation level
Donate at an amount or level you are comfortable with, not giving in to any pressured up-sells. - Donate safely
- Donate by credit card or check and keep records of your contributions.
- Never wire money or use gift cards to make a donation. If possible, don’t use cash either.
- Watch out for imposters
- Do not give out sensitive personal or financial information, such as your Social Security number, birthday or bank account number.
- Be skeptical of unsolicited calls, emails and social media fundraising messages. Do not click on any links or open attachments.
- Be skeptical of social media ads and charities with similar-sounding names or concepts. Make sure the website or mailing address you are sending your donation to is the correct, legitimate charity.
For more information about charity scams, or to report charity fraud, call 1-888-432-9257, or visit https://secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/AttorneyGeneral/ScamReport.
