When it comes to charity, Americans are generous. Last year alone, they donated $592 billion to charitable causes, most of it from individuals, not corporations. So not surprisingly, there are scammers lurking.
Last year, they managed to bilk would-be donors out of about $96 million, using ploys that range from creating sham charities with names deceptively similar to real ones, or telling vulnerable seniors that it’s time to renew their support for a charity that doesn’t exist. So what can people do avoid the scammers and ensure that their charity dollars are benefiting their favorite cause?
Charity Watch’s Laurie Styron joins host Robin Young to discuss how to donate safely.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2025 WBUR