Ask Questions:

• Ask for the charity’s exact name, web address, and mailing address. Some dishonest solicitors use names that sound like those of well-known charities to mislead you.
• Ask how much of your donation will go to the charity and how much will be used to pay the for-profit fundraising firm. Also, ask what percentage of the funds to the charity are used for a charitable purpose. Some fundraising can be very costly, leaving the charity with limited money to spend on its programs.
• Ask whether your donation is tax deductible. Fake charities may claim that your donation is tax-deductible when it is not.

Confirm information online:

• Review the charity’s website. Look for details about the charity’s mission, its programs, and how donations are used. Be suspicious if you can’t find that information.
• Check whether the charity is registered. Charities that use professional solicitors must register with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office. You can find whether a charity is registered and information about how a charity uses donations on our Registered Charities Listing.
• Look up whether your donation will be tax deductible. You can find out whether a donation will be tax deductible by searching the charity in the IRS’s Tax Exempt Organization Search. If a donation is actually tax deductible, the organization will be listed there. Tax Exempt Organization Search | Internal Revenue Service.

• It is safest to donate by credit card or check. Avoid paying in cash, with wire transfers, or gift cards. Be suspicious if anyone insist that you pay with cryptocurrency. If the charity doesn’t accept credit cards or checks, it may be a scam.

• To report an issue, you can download and submit our Charity Dispute Form. For more information, call Attorney General Murrill’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-351-4889.