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Charity scam: is that donation call real?

Editorially reviewed · Last updated September 8, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. Pressure to donate immediately through an unverified payment route is a scam warning. Check the charity and give through its official site.

Exhibit · Phone call

Incoming call
(305) 555‑0177
maybe: Relief Fund
Voicemail transcript

“Hello, this is Amanda with the National Storm Relief Bureau. Families hit by this week's flooding have lost everything, and we're getting emergency funds to them tonight. The fastest way to give is a gift card or a wire transfer — I can stay on the line while you pick up the cards. Every minute counts. Can the families count on your $100 right now?”

Illustrative phone call · not an original screenshot

Other versions you might get: Warnings include an unfamiliar fundraiser, a supposed prior pledge, a disaster appeal, or a guaranteed prize for donating. Verify the organization independently before giving; a phone solicitation alone does not establish fraud.

What to do right now

  1. Hang up — you don't owe a caller a donation. Fundraisers can legally call you, but you never have to decide on the phone, and no legitimate charity needs gift cards, a wire, or crypto tonight.
  2. Check the charity before giving a cent. Look it up at give.org (the BBB Wise Giving Alliance evaluates charities free against 20 accountability standards), and confirm it's registered with your state's charity regulator. Write the exact name down — sound-alikes count on you not checking.
  3. Give directly, not through the caller. If the cause checks out, donate by credit card or check on the charity's own website — the FTC calls those the safest ways to give — so nothing is skimmed by a middleman.
  4. If you already paid a scammer: call your bank or card issuer to dispute it, or the gift-card issuer to try to freeze the card, then report what happened.
  5. Report it. File at reportfraud.ftc.gov and with your state charity regulator — reports are how fake “relief funds” get shut down between disasters.

Reduce the risk of another scam

Hang up and verify the claim through a number you find independently. If you paid or shared account details, start with what to do after a scam. Blocking and reporting can reduce unwanted contact, but they cannot stop every attempt or tell you how the sender found you.

● Public service · free steps first

Reduce unwanted calls

Start with call blocking and your phone or carrier's filtering options. The Do Not Call Registry covers sales calls from companies that follow the rules; it does not block scammers.

Decide what protection you need

Start with the free controls above. Compare what a paid service would add only after deciding which problem remains.

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No purchase needed. How we use evidence.

Frequently asked

How can I check if a charity is legitimate?
Check the exact organization through charity evaluators, its state regulator where registration applies, and the IRS if tax deductibility matters. Missing results warrant more checks, not an automatic fraud verdict: exemptions and organizations outside a database’s coverage exist.
The caller asked me to donate with a gift card or wire transfer. Is that ever legitimate?
No. The FTC is explicit: if a charity says the only way to give is by gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency, it's likely a scam — real charities accept checks and credit cards. Gift cards are for gifts. Hang up, and if you want to help the cause, find a vetted charity at give.org and donate through its own site.
Are charity robocalls legal?
The FTC’s telemarketing restrictions described here apply to covered for-profit fundraisers calling for charities. Their prerecorded calls generally require a prior donor or member relationship and an opt-out. Do not project that rule onto every call made by a charity itself. Verify the organization independently and report abusive calls.
The caller said I pledged to donate last year, but I don't remember it. What's going on?
That's a known pressure tactic — the FTC warns that scam fundraisers lie about a prior pledge because you're more likely to give if you think you already promised. Don't take their word for it, and don't let caller ID reassure you either, since it can be spoofed to show any name. Hang up and check the charity independently.
I want to help after a disaster — how do I give safely?
Give deliberately, not reactively. Search the cause plus “highly rated charity,” or use the BBB Wise Giving Alliance's lists at give.org, which vets disaster-relief organizations after major events. Then donate by card or check on the charity's own website. Avoid anyone who contacts you first and needs the money by tonight — real relief operations take donations tomorrow too.

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Sources

  1. 01Before Giving to a Charity— Federal Trade Commission
  2. 02BBB Wise Giving Alliance charity reports— BBB Wise Giving Alliance
  3. 03Report fraud to the FTC— Federal Trade Commission
  4. 04Official security and fraud guidance— consumer.ftc.gov

Pass it on

Help protect someone else

If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.