Charity Fraud Awareness Week: Charity Name Confusion Biggest Cause Of Scams

It is International Charity Fraud Awareness Week.

Organizations and agencies come together to educate consumers on how to wisely give. Middle Tennessee Better Business Bureau President and CEO Robyn Householder said times of natural disaster are the most common times fake charities arise.

“It’s usually an unsolicited email or social media post that is often times crowd funding platforms or cold calls,” Householder said. “What we want to fist tell consumers to do is to be very very cautious when you are solicited for donation.”

Householder said charities will rarely ever ask for money on the spot. Householder said it is best to always go to the source of the cause rather than replying to the unsolicited call or email.

Householder said charity name confusion is the main strategy scammers use. For example, the American Cancer Society as oppose to the North American Cancer Society or the Greater American Cancer Society. Householder said neither of the latter two names are legitimate.