After a New York City man was indicted last year for allegedly running 76 fake charities out of his Staten Island home, experts are warning New Yorkers to be on alert this giving season.
Call it the holiday spirit, call it tax-time preparation — nonprofits receive more than a quarter of their annual donations in the month of December, according to the annual M+R Benchmarks Study, which assesses the data of 215 global charities, including the American Museum of Natural History, Planned Parenthood and public media companies. The last day of the year is the busiest of all, the study shows.
But while December is a time for giving, it’s also a time that fraudulent charities prey on that holiday generosity, said Kevin Scally, chief relationships officer for Charity Navigator, a nonprofit that rates other charitable organizations.
“It definitely brings out the best in people, where they want to give,” he told Gothamist. “But unfortunately, it also brings out the worst in people where people try to take advantage of that.”
While you’re feeling generous, don’t let the Christmas coquito lead you down the path of donating to a fraudulent nonprofit. Experts gave Gothamist three tips on how to avoid being the victim of a charity scam this year.
Don’t make an emotional decision
Scally said scammers often try to get donors to commit to payments quickly with high-pressure situations. An often-seen situation in NYC is when a person — frequently young and charismatic — asks for a minute of your time on the street and tries to solicit a donation.
While it’s fine to stop and talk, you should never feel pressured into giving a donation on the spot, in person or online, according to Scally.
“Do your due diligence,” he said. “A charity that’s looking for your money today is going to be just as happy to have it tomorrow.”
The Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York has seen a rise in reliable charities making efforts to prove their legitimacy, president Claire…
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