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SupportedInternet scamsLast updated: January 15, 2025

Fake Charity Appeals

Fraudulent charity solicitations — particularly those timed to exploit natural disasters, wars, and mass casualty events — are a well-documented and prevalent form of consumer fraud. In 2024, the FBI's IC3 received more than 4,500 complaints reporting approximately $96 million in losses to fraudulent charities, crowdfunding accounts, and disaster relief campaigns.

What we know

Fake charity fraud exploits human compassion. Scammers create organizations with names similar to established charities, launch social media campaigns immediately after disasters or crises, and use emotional imagery to solicit donations. Common tactics include pressure to 'donate now before the window closes,' requests for payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency (methods that are difficult to reverse or trace), and use of AI-generated images or copied branding to appear legitimate.

The FBI and FTC issue regular warnings that charity fraud spikes after major events. Following the 2024 hurricanes, wildfires, and ongoing geopolitical crises, the FBI issued a Public Service Announcement (PSA250116) specifically warning that scammers use mass casualty events and disasters to commit fraud, and that AI may be used to increase the perceived legitimacy of fraudulent appeals. In 2024, IC3 received more than 4,500 complaints with approximately $96 million in reported losses.

Social media platforms amplify the problem because they allow scam accounts to rapidly spread emotional appeals with low cost. Charity impersonation scams have been documented where criminals copy a legitimate charity's logo, branding, and social media username (differing by only one character), redirect Venmo payments, or create fake fundraising pages on crowdfunding platforms. Even foreign terrorist organizations have been documented using fraudulent fundraising appeals.

Verification is straightforward: donors should check organizations against the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search, their state attorney general's charity registry, or platforms such as Charity Navigator and Give.org (BBB Wise Giving Alliance) before donating. Requests for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency are universally identified as red flags by law enforcement.

Common claims

  • If a charity appeal is shared by someone I know on social media it must be legitimate.False. Scam appeals spread virally through sharing by well-meaning individuals; the legitimacy of the sharing person does not validate the charity.
  • Charities with professional-looking websites and logos can be trusted.False. Scammers routinely copy legitimate charities' logos and branding. Domain names may differ from legitimate sites by one character.
  • I can trust disaster relief fundraisers that appear immediately after a crisis.False. Scam charities often appear within hours of disasters specifically to exploit this timing. Established charities with track records are safer choices.

Evidence hierarchy

01FBI PSA: Beware of Charitable Fraud Related to Mass Casualty Events — IC3FBI PSA (January 2025) warning of charity fraud following disasters, reporting $96 million in IC3 losses to fraudulent charities in 2024.02Charity Fraud — FTC Consumer AdviceFTC guidance on recognizing and avoiding charity scams, including pressure tactics and payment methods used by scammers.03Charity Scams After a Disaster — FTCFTC consumer guidance on avoiding disaster-related charity fraud, recommending verification before donating.04How to Spot Charity Impersonation Scams — Give.org (BBB Wise Giving Alliance)BBB guidance on charity impersonation tactics including AI-generated appeals, look-alike accounts, and cryptocurrency payment requests.

All sources

Related terms

Fake Webshop DiscountsFake online giveawaysDelivery Phishing Scams