CLEVELAND — The Federal Trade Commission says there were close to 10,000 reports of charitable solicitation fraud throughout the United States in 2023.
We don't even know how many incidents went unreported because people didn't know they were tricked, so let's keep you safe from being swindled with a few VERIFY Fast Facts.
Fast Fact 1: Caller ID isn't always accurate.
The FTC has issued a reminder that scammers use technology to make any name or number appear on caller ID. It's called spoofing, and it's a popular method used to trick people into picking up the phone
If you hear from someone claiming to be from a charity you want to support, it's safest to reach out to that group on your own, rather than respond to a call or text that you didn’t initiate.
Fast Fact 2: Any legitimate charity can be verified online.
The Ohio Department of Commerce has shared a list of sites where you can look up registered charities. Their advice is:
"Ask for the charity’s full name, website, and mailing address, then use the Tax-Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) tool on IRS.gov to verify the legitimacy of a charity. You also can check eligibility for tax-deductible contributions and access information about an organization's tax-exempt status and filings. You may also consider using resources like the BBB's Wise Giving Alliance or Charity Watch."
Fast Fact 3: Donating with a credit card is the safest move.
The Ohio Department of Commerce says you should avoid making donations in cash, with gift cards, or by wiring money, using Venmo and cryptocurrency. Using a credit card offers the most financial protection, if you do get tricked by a scammer.
Additional Information
Just remember that if you don't pay off your credit balance in full during the month when you make your donation, you could get charged interest on that gift.
Remember, if you see something you want us to fact check, you can send it our way at VERIFY@wkyc.com.