A charity should never withhold any information, either in person or on their website. If, while researching a charity, you find key information is unavailable, you may be dealing with a fraudulent charity.Charities should be upfront about basic contact information, such as addresses and phone numbers.
Reputable charities are honest about where the money goes. You should be able to find detailed information on a charity's website regarding how donations are used and what percentages of donations go towards the actual cause.
A charity that is not upfront about such information is more likely to be fraudulent.
 Most charities will work hard to make their case for a donation. This is how charities continue to sustain themselves. However, if a representative is very pushy or rude, even after you've declined a donation, you're likely dealing with a charity scam.It's normal for a charity representative to politely make the case for a donation. They may calmly repeat the benefits of their charity and ask you to reconsider.
A scammer, however, will use more aggressive tactics. They may become somewhat hostile and attempt to guilt trip you into donating, asking questions like, "Don't you care about this cause?" A scammer will not politely restate their case. They will aggressively attempt to coerce you into donating after you've declined or requested more information.
 A legitimate charity should be able to easily provide you with paperwork that allows you to claim a tax deduction for a donation. If a charity is unable or unwilling to provide this paperwork, it's likely a scam. Do not work with charities that cannot provide such paperwork., A reputable charity would not conduct a sweepstakes for donations. Real charities put the bulk of their money towards their cause and organization. If a charity claims you're eligible to win a prize or sum of a money in a sweepstakes as a reward for donating, you're likely dealing with a fraudulent charity., Reputable charities track donations carefully and want to make sure there is no risk of the money getting lost or stolen. They will rarely request cash donations and certainly will not demand cash only donations. A charity that requires cash only donations is likely fraudulent, as they're trying to prevent donations from being easily traced. The money is likely not being used for charitable reasons., Unfortunately, it is impossible for a charity to direct 100% of donations towards its cause. All charities have administrative, operating, and marketing costs to consider. A charity that claims 100% of funds are put towards a cause is likely fraudulent.In general, charities have to spend at least 65% of donations on their cause. Stick to donating to charities who claim a percentage of donations in this range goes towards their cause.
 There are often news stories circulating about fake or fraudulent charities. Pay attention to any stories on the news regarding new charity frauds. If you are contacted by a charity that sounds similar to a recent fraud charity, be very suspicious. Research this charity extensively before agreeing to give money.
Be wary about charities that withhold information.
Avoid charities that pressure you for a donation.
Make sure the charity can provide proof contributions are tax deductible.
Stay away from charities that advertise sweepstakes.
Avoid cash only donations.
Be suspicious if the charity claims 100% of the money goes to a particular cause.
Pay attention to the news.
{"src": "wikihow-all_test", "title": "How to Spot a Charity Scam2"}