Charity Scam
Fake charities solicit donations after disasters or crises.
Severity: MediumPrevalence: EmergingLast Updated: 2026-02-10
Target Audiences
How It Works
After natural disasters, conflicts, or humanitarian crises, scammers quickly set up fake charity websites, social media pages, or fundraising campaigns. They exploit public empathy by using real images and emotional appeals. Donations go directly to the scammers rather than to any charitable cause. Some scammers also impersonate well-known charities using similar names or logos. These scams spike during major events but can also appear around holidays or during viral social media campaigns.
Red Flags
- Pressure to donate immediately – urgency tactics like "donate now before it's too late" without allowing time to verify.
- Unregistered charities – no registration number, no transparency about how funds are used.
- Personal payment requests – asking for donations via personal bank transfers, crypto, or gift cards rather than official channels.
Protect Yourself
- Donate only via official charity websites that you navigate to directly, not through links in messages.
- Verify NGO registration with relevant authorities (in Israel: the Registrar of Associations).
- Avoid clicking donation links from unsolicited emails, SMS, or social media posts.
Visual Examples
What To Do If You've Been Scammed
- Report the fraudulent page or campaign to the platform hosting it (Facebook, GoFundMe, etc.).
- Contact your payment provider to dispute the charge if you donated.
- Warn others by sharing information about the fake charity.