Florida’s CFO issues warning about ‘Giving Tuesday’ scams

Giving Tuesday is a day to encourage charitable donations to nonprofit organizations and for people to volunteer their time, but Chief Financial Officer of Florida Jimmy Patronis is reminding everyone across the state that there’s always a risk for scams.

“The holidays bring out the best in people, but they can also bring out the worst in some,” Patronis says in a statement.

He says Floridians need to be vigilant in looking out for potential fraud or scams.

“Beware of unsolicited offers from charities through email and social media and be suspicious of any charity asking for cash only payment,” Patronis says.

Americans gave an estimated $2.47 billion to charities in the United States last year. That’s up 25% compared to the year before.

“By staying alert this holiday season you can ensure your donation is going to a good cause and not lining the pockets of a scam artist,” Patronis says.

Here’s a list of five tips from Patronis to avoid scams on Giving Tuesday:

1. Ask questions. Most online donation campaigns have a comment section, use this tool to ask questions about how the money will be distributed, who the money will go to, and even how much goes directly to support efforts.

2. Watch out for similar charity names. Scammers sometimes create fake charity names that are similar to the actual name of the organization with the hopes of creating confusion among consumers.

3. Pause before donating. Don’t feel pressured into giving an immediate donation. Always take your time to research the organization to ensure you are making the right decision.

4. Use safe forms of payment. Never donate to charities by gift card, wire transfer or fast cash apps such as CashApp or Venmo. Consider paying by credit card for better security.

5. Verify on the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance (Give.org) Check-A-Charity, which is a standards-based charity evaluator that seeks to verify the trustworthiness of publicly-soliciting charities by completing rigorous evaluations based on 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

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