Scam library
Fake charity appeals
A disaster or personal hardship becomes the story behind a fundraiser that sends money to a scammer.
What it looks like
Fictional example: Families displaced by the storm need help tonight. Send donations directly to our volunteer's payment account.
Fictional example: Every dollar reaches flood survivors. Donate before midnight at example.com/emergency-relief.
How it works
Scammers invent a relief fund, copy a charity's identity, or reuse someone else's hardship story. Urgency and emotional images encourage donations before verification. With crowdfunding, money generally goes to the organizer, who may not be connected to the people pictured.
Warning signs
- The organizer cannot explain who receives the money.
- Payment goes to an unrelated personal account.
- They insist on gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a wire transfer.
- The appeal pressures you to donate before checking it.
If you got one of these
- Find the charity's website independently and donate through that verified route.
- Check the organization with your state charity regulator.
- Verify a crowdfunding organizer's connection to the intended recipients.
- Use a credit card when donating to a verified organization.
If you already paid or shared something
- Contact your card issuer or payment provider and ask about disputing or recovering the donation.
- Report the fundraiser to the hosting platform and keep screenshots and receipts.
- Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov; watch for unexpected recurring charges.
Who gets targeted
Anyone responding to disasters, community appeals, medical fundraisers, or requests to help people in difficulty.