“It’s better to give than to receive” is a phrase that is often invoked by parents during the holidays. My parents said it. As a parent, I have been known to say it to my children. Just last week, during a phone call with my daughter, she repeated it back to me when I asked what she wanted for Christmas.
There is a reason this phrase resonates with us. It’s true. The feeling one gets from making a difference in the world – by brightening someone’s day, easing someone’s burden, or helping to find a cure – is immeasurable.
Sadly, there are some among us who will use this time of year to exploit our good nature. They will use email, online platforms, and social media to tug at our heartstrings and, if all goes well, open our wallets, and benefit personally from our generosity. They will scam and cheat, and their actions may make us think twice about making donations in the future.
That’s why this post is necessary.
Organizations rely on us to volunteer and for our financial contributions, and this year will be no exception. In 2019, charitable giving climbed to over $449 billion, according to Giving USA. Between September and December is when about 50% of those donations will be made, with 30% during the month of December. The last three days of the year is when 10% of annual giving takes place.
That’s why it’s crucial for us to not become complacent. We can’t just scan our email, start clicking on links, and give out our credit card information because we are in a hurry. That’s what scammers want us to do.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make sure your donations reach their intended recipients.
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Donating directly online is just like donating in person – you wouldn’t leave your wallet or social security information at a donation center! Image licensed from Adobe Stock. Go Direct – After you have decided which charity you would like to donate to, navigate to the charity’s website to make the donation. While it may be easier to click on the Donate button in an email message, there is also a chance that the message is not from a charity and is instead the handiwork of a scammer impersonating a charity. Not all phishing emails are littered with spelling mistakes and poor grammar. Some have the look and feel of legitimate messages. The extra few seconds it will take to go direct could save you from identity theft or having to replace your debit cards a week before Christmas. When you go direct, also be sure that you are using the proper URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or web address for the charity. Misspelling the domain name could mean that you inadvertently access a website that was setup by a typosquatter.
- Look for the Lock – Websites that collect personal information or transact business online use digital certificates to prove they are who they say they are and to secure connections. Organizations that accept or process payment cards must comply with PCI Data Security Standards, which call for merchants to encrypt transmission of cardholder data. In the address bar of your browser, look for a padlock. The padlock should be closed. If the padlock is open, then the site does not have a valid certificate and you should assume that sharing personal information with the site, especially your credit card information, could put you at risk.
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Look for recognizable symbols and the charity’s giving & security policies. Image licensed through Adobe Stock. Safeguard Your Information – Charities collect basic information as well as payment information when you donate to them. You may be given the option to donate anonymously or share your donation via social media. Before clicking the Submit or Donate Now button to finalize your donation, decide whether you want to share your personal information. Do you want others to see you donated to a GoFundMe campaign? Are you willing to have your name, city, and state shared on a charity’s website? If you are not comfortable, then make sure you opt out of sharing the information about your donation online.
- Read the Fine Print – Many charities use third-party vendors to process donations. Be sure to read posted terms of service and/or privacy policies. I recently reviewed the Privacy Policy for a vendor that specializes in fundraising for nonprofits. The policy stated that information, including personally identifiable information, could be shared with third parties and on activity feeds. If the thought of being on the receiving end of more targeted marketing makes you cringe, then be sure to unsubscribe if you start receiving email from one or more third party vendors you do not recognize. You might also consider making an offline donation to work around the issue of having your information shared with third parties. Though charities prefer online donations, I haven’t had one turn down an old-fashioned check delivered via the USPS…yet.
Remember, just because the holiday season is here, doesn’t mean you can drop your guard. You also need to be wary of urgent requests for donations made via social media or other websites like craigslist.com, especially if you are not personally familiar with the person(s) who will benefit from the assistance.
Remain vigilant, but don’t be afraid or forget to give if you can. There is no gift that is too small if it comes from the heart.
