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Have you received an unsolicited phone call asking you to donate to a charity or cause? Unsolicited telephone appeals are one way charities try to fundraise. Before giving, make sure that you feel confident about your donation. BBB has these tips and information to help you become a more informed donor.
- Never give your credit card number or other personal financial information to unknown callers.
- Ask who’s calling--a professional solicitor or an employee of the charity? If the call is from a telemarketing company, ask what percentage of your gift the charity will receive.
- Confirm the name. Many organizations raising money for the same cause have names similar enough to confuse donors, sometimes intentionally.
- Ask for specifics about the charity if it’s unfamiliar. The caller should be able to tell you the organization’s purpose, whether contributions to it are tax-deductible, how your gift will be used and how much of it will go to the charity’s program. Better still, ask for written information, read it carefully and check whether your local BBB has information on the charity.
- Resist pressure. A responsible charity respects your right to make a thoughtful decision.
- Opt out of future calls from the soliciting charity, if you wish. The national Do Not Call Registry does not generally apply to charity calls, but you have the right to ask a telemarketer not to call again on behalf of a particular charity.
- Be aware of other potential scams that might be out there. BBB's Wise Giving alliance has provided more tips on avoiding charity scams.
For More Information
Visit BBB Wise Giving Alliance’s website for smart giving tips, and check out BBB's charity and donor resources.
If you’ve been the victim of a charity scam, please report it to BBB's Scam Tracker. Sharing your experience helps others avoid falling victim to similar scams.
BBB has more tips on all types of scams and can help you avoid them.
BBB Serving Metropolitan New York contributed this article.