WISCONSIN — Giving Tuesday is a day that encourages people to give to those in need, and this year, it falls on Nov. 29. 

While many people have good intentions of giving away to charity this Giving Tuesday, others may have other motives.

“Scammers can take advantage of your goodwill in an effort to steal your money and personal information,” said the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary Randy Romanski. “Consumers can take a few simple but effective measures to verify a charitable organization is legitimate before they donate.”

The DATCP and Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions offered the following tips to prevent Giving Tuesday donors from getting scammed:

  • If you are solicited for donations, ask for the name, address and phone number of the charitable organization making the request
  • Do not make a payment over the phone; hang up and do additional research first
  • Do not click on links or attachments in emails, text messages, or social media posts, and do not share information with senders you do not know
  • Do not donate via cash, cryptocurrency, peer-to-peer payment apps or by wire to people or organizations you do not know; it is impossible to reverse these transactions
  • Do not write a check or give cash to an individual solicitor; always write out checks to the name of the organization or use a credit card
  • Watch for imposter websites and social media profiles; check the spelling of the charitable organization’s name on the account and website – misspelled names may signify scams
  • Ask how your donation will be used and what percentage of your donation will be used for program services (also referred to as the organization’s charitable purpose) rather than for administrative, management or fundraising costs

To learn more about a charitable organization, donors can check Give.org or CharityNavigator.org. To ensure a charitable organization or professional fundraiser is registered with the DFI, visit wdfi.org/CharitableOrganizations, email DFICharitableOrgs@dfi.wisconsin.gov or call (608) 267-1711.

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