What to look for — and what to avoid — in the season of online charitable giving
Published 5:15 pm Sunday, November 22, 2020
The season of giving is upon us and while many of us look for ways to give, there are unfortunately those out there looking to take.
With the pandemic still gripping the world, that limits how much time, if any, we can spend with each other. It also will affect handing a gift to someone who means something to you. Many people may opt to make a donation to a charity in someone else’s name as a gift this Christmas season. Charitable giving has become a part of the holiday season.
The website CharityWatch recommends those who are looking to make donations keep a number of things in mind.
No. 1, know your charity. Don’t give to a charity you don’t know anything about. You can see if an organization has tax-exempt status through the Internal Revenue Service’s website (https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/).
No. 2, obtain contact information. Make sure there is an email address provided and there is a phone number and mailing address.
Also, look to see if the information on the charity’s website has been updated recently.
No. 3, in order to give safely, check if the website you are about to make a donation through has a URL ending in https. The s means the website address is secure. Also, make sure you are protecting your privacy and your information. Be careful not to fall for spam solicitations sent through email.
No. 4, keep paper records. CharityWatch recommends printing a copy of your final confirmation screen or an email confirmation of your donation. If you do not receive a confirmation notice, notify the charity to see if it received your contribution. Also, keep the hard copy receipt for your taxes.
It is a good idea to hold on to a hard copy receipt for when you prepare to file your taxes.
Another recommended step in safe online charitable giving is never donate using cash, gift cards or wire transfers. Reputable charities will not ask for donations to be made in this way.
CharityWatch also advises not to be intimidated by online giving. You can do it easily, quickly and safely if you know the steps to take — and the missteps to avoid.
