Be Careful of Scams When Donating to Charities

The world is full of good Samaritans, those people who see other people suffering, and want to help or who get involved in a good cause. Donating time, talent and money to charities and other good causes is a noble endeavor. However, as with most things in life, there are always those on the other side of the equation that are looking to take advantage of any situation, even of those who want to help the less fortunate.
Recently, the IRS warned Americans about one such catastrophic event that could lead to scammers trying to take advantage of would-be good Samaritans. South Carolina is still reeling from the horrible and widespread damage from the massive flooding the state sustained from the record-setting rain that recently blasted the area. In the midst of all the terrible destruction, many people were already reaching out to donate money for relief efforts. The bad news, scammers are out in full-force as well.
That led the IRS to issue a warning against these scammers who are standing by to take advantage of the good-hearted people who donate. The IRS says that these kinds of events often bring out many people who are looking to profit from others’ misfortune. To that end, the IRS recommends checking the IRS website to make sure that your donation is actually going to a qualified charitable organization and not into a scam artist’s pocket.
Also, remember to avoid giving out personal information, only use legitimate websites and be sure to get receipts for tax deduction purposes. Do not send or give cash and be careful of any unsolicited emails or phone calls. As always, trust your gut and use your best judgment in order to avoid being scammed.
Why Startups Need Legal Counsel | Jackie Ammon
About Jackie Ammon Jackie Ammon is a senior associate who focuses her practice on corporate matters at WilmerHale. Prior to joining WilmerHale, Ms. Ammon was a judicial extern for the Honorable Frederick F. Mumm of the US District Court for the Central District of California. In that role, she wrote Report and Recommendation for…
The 10 Laws of Trust | Joel Peterson
About Joel Peterson Joel Peterson is Chairman of JetBlue and a consulting Professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Together along with David Kaplan he authored The 10 Laws of Trust, a business leadership book about building high-trust organizations. Mr. Peterson is the former managing partner of Trammel Crow, one of the top leading…
LuLaRoe – Disrupting The Retail Market | Mark Stidham
Transcript of LuLaRoe – Disrupting The Retail Market | Mark Stidham: Alan Olsen: Mark Stidham is the CEO of LuLaRoe, a direct to consumer clothing company that he and his wife DeAnne started in 2013. Since it’s inception it has been transforming the fashion. Mark Stidham: I grew up with my Dad being a…
Udacity-Democratizing Education | Sebastian Thrun
About Sebastian Thrun Founder of Udacity Sebastian Thrun is a scientist, educator, inventor, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman, and president of Udacity, whose mission is to democratize education. Udacity focuses on affordable, lifelong learning to give people the needed skills to get a new job or advance their career. Today, the company has…