Jimmy Patronis Warns Against ‘Giving Tuesday’ Charity Scams

Published Nov. 29, 2022, 9:39 a.m. ET | Updated Nov. 29, 2022

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis proposes legislation to fight back against post-storm fraud, Oct. 19, 2022.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis proposes legislation to fight back against post-storm fraud, Oct. 19, 2022.

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis warned Floridians against Giving Tuesday charity scams. The day occurs the Tuesday After Thanksgiving.

In 2021, Americans gave $2.7 billion to charity, up 9% from 2020.

“With the holidays in full swing, now is the time of year that many Floridians choose to support certain organizations to give back to our communities. Giving Tuesday is a great opportunity to give to those in need, but bad actors are always looking for new ways to steal your hard earned money,” Patronis said.

“Fraudsters will use the holiday as an opportunity to scam well-meaning citizens and every Floridian needs to be on the lookout for charity scams, and keep an eye on all unsolicited offers from charities through email and social media. This holiday season, don’t become a victim of a charity scam, always research and verify before you give,” he continued.

Patronis gave the following tips to avoid charity scams:

  • Ask questions. Most online donation campaigns have a comment section, use this tool to ask questions about how the money will be distributed, who the money will go to, and even how much goes directly to support efforts.
  • Watch out for similar charity names. Scammers sometimes create fake charity names that are similar to the actual name of the organization with the hopes of creating confusion among consumers.
  • Pause before donating. Don’t feel pressured into giving an immediate donation. Always take your time to research the organization to ensure you are making the right decision.
  • Use safe forms of payment. Never donate to charities by gift card, wire transfer or fast cash apps such as CashApp or Venmo. Consider paying by credit card for better security.
  • Verify on the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance (Give.org) Check-A-Charity, which is a standards-based charity evaluator that seeks to verify the trustworthiness of publicly soliciting charities by completing rigorous evaluations based on 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

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