How charity scams work — and how to not fund one
Sound-alike names, disaster chasing, pressure tactics: the common charity fraud patterns and the two-minute check that defeats most of them.
Published July 16, 2026 · CharityIndex editorial team
Charity fraud spikes exactly when generosity does: after disasters, during the holidays, around viral news. The patterns repeat, which makes them recognizable.
The common plays
- Sound-alike names."American Cancer Support Foundation" vs. the real American Cancer Society. The name is the disguise; the EIN is the truth.
- Disaster chasing.Pop-up "relief funds" registered days after a hurricane, with no track record and no filings.
- Pressure and untraceable payment.Legitimate charities don't need your gift card codes, wire transfer or crypto tonight.
- Thank-you-for-your-pledge calls claiming you promised money you never did — a classic phone-room tactic.
The two-minute defense
- Look the organization up by name or EIN here. No IRS registration, no deductible status, or revoked status — walk away.
- Registered but zero filings and no financial history? A real but brand-new organization; give only if you know the founders.
- Donate through the charity's own website, never through a link in an unsolicited message.
Report suspected fraud to the FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov) and your state charity regulator — it protects the donors after you.