Cybersecurity

Avoiding Donation Scams

Avoiding Donation Scams

Cybersecurity

The traditional “season of giving” may be over, but many of us (SFG included) intend to give year-round. Cybercriminals target donations, so you need to be careful and make sure your donations are going to the right people. Here are some research tips you can do to help keep yourself secure along your giving journey:

  • Look up reviews for specific charities you are interested in giving to. Include keywords like “review” and “scam” in your search to look for any poor behavior of the charity
  • Before donating through crowd funding type websites, research the website to find out where the money goes, if there are any fees taken out of your donation (if there are, consider donating directly to the recipient), and how long it will take for the money to get to the recipient.
  • Never donate to charity using cash, gift cards or wiring money. These are common scam tactics. It’s a safer bed to use a credit card or check.
  • Keep a record of all your donations. This can help you ensure you’re not charged over what you donate, and will also help you come tax season with deductions.
  • Here are some websites that outline ratings and reviews of charitable organizations that can help you:
  • Find out if your donation will be tax deductible using the IRS’s Tax Exempt Organization Search

Be sure to look out for signs from scammers, such as the following:

  • Rushing you to donate
  • Thanking you for a donation you never made, prompting you to pay
  • Using charity names that are very similar to legitimate organizations. Do your research!
  • Lack of details about how your donation will be used
  • Claiming your donation is tax deductible, when in fact it’s not. Again, always do a quick Google search at the very least!

 

Important Disclosure Information: The information contained within this blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations. Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Schultz Financial Group Incorporated), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this blog will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this blog serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Schultz Financial Group Incorporated. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. Schultz Financial Group Incorporated is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the blog content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the Schultz Financial Group Incorporated’s current written disclosure statement discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request. Please Note: Schultz Financial Group Incorporated does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to Schultz Financial Group Incorporated’s web site or incorporated herein, and takes no responsibility therefore. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly.

Where you want to go in life is up to you. How to help you get there is up to us.

Contact us today to start your journey…

Contact

Schultz Financial Group Inc.
10765 Double R Blvd. Suite 200
Reno, NV 89521
Phone: (775) 850-5620
Fax: (775) 850-5639
Email: [email protected]

Where you want to go in life is up to you. How to help you get there is up to us.

Contact us today to start your journey…

Contact

Schultz Financial Group Inc.
10765 Double R Blvd. Suite 200
Reno, NV 89521
Phone: (775) 850-5620
Fax: (775) 850-5639
Email: [email protected]

Design by Jason Design Studio | Design by Refresh Design Services | Copyright © 2018 Schultz Financial Group Inc.

Design by Jason Design Studio
Design by Refresh Design Services
Copyright © 2018 Schultz Financial Group Inc.

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