Solicitations

Crowdfunding: The Wild West of Charitable Giving

November 24, 2022

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Crowdfunding: The Wild West of Charitable Giving

Nov 24, 2022

"...[C]rowdfunding campaigns [are] the 'Wild West of charity fundraising... Good intentions mixed with hubris is a dangerous combination,' Styron said." Crowdfunding: Don't Rely on the Wisdom of the Crowd. ...

"...[C]rowdfunding campaigns [are] the 'Wild West of charity fundraising... Good intentions mixed with hubris is a dangerous combi...

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5 Steps For Informed Giving

Nov 22, 2022

Giving Tuesday is only a reminder. Every day is a good day to support the charitable causes that are important to you. Find a CharityWatch Top-Rated charity to support...

Giving Tuesday is only a reminder. Every day is a good day to support the charitable causes that are important to you. Find a Char...

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'100% to Program' Claims Confuse Donors

Aug 04, 2022

Claims made in charity solicitations and marketing materials that promise 100% of your donation will fund charitable programs certainly sound enticing as you consider which nonprofits will use your contributions most efficiently. ...

Claims made in charity solicitations and marketing materials that promise 100% of your donation will fund charitable programs cert...

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Taxpayer Subsidized PPP Funds Went to Charities with Failing...

May 25, 2022

Many highly inefficient charities with histories of very low program spending and "F" ratings from CharityWatch received taxpayer subsidized PPP funds that could have been better utilized by other, much more efficient nonprofits....

Many highly inefficient charities with histories of very low program spending and "F" ratings from CharityWatch received taxpayer ...

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Easy Prey Podcast: Advice for Donating to Charity on This Gi...

Nov 24, 2021

"It just becomes this cyclical cesspool of fundraising," says Laurie Styron in her interview with Chris Parker for The Easy Prey Podcast when discussing a common charity accounting trick known as joint costs. ...

"It just becomes this cyclical cesspool of fundraising," says Laurie Styron in her interview with Chris Parker for The Easy Prey P...

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Why So Much Junk Mail? And So Many Charity Scams?

Nov 12, 2021

"There's just a huge chasm at times between what a charity is saying about itself and what the finances reveal it is really doing."

"There's just a huge chasm at times between what a charity is saying about itself and what the finances reveal it is really doing....

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Your Guilt as a Catalyst for Giving

Oct 22, 2021

Scammers and unethical, high-pressure fundraisers use a lot of psychological tricks and emotional manipulation to corner you into making impulsive donating decisions.

Scammers and unethical, high-pressure fundraisers use a lot of psychological tricks and emotional manipulation to corner you into ...

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Busting the Myths of "The Overhead Myth"

Oct 21, 2021

Before donating to charity, many donors want to know what portion of their donation the nonprofit will spend on programs versus overhead. And this makes sense. Charities and nonprofit fundraisers often reference two industry-...

Before donating to charity, many donors want to know what portion of their donation the nonprofit will spend on programs versus ov...

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CharityWatch Alerts Regulator to Red Flags at American Life ...

Sep 16, 2021

American Life League reported paying $1,862,208 and $554,897 in 2015 and 2017, respectively, to Anthony Kane and Associates for "printing and mailing services," with the relationship reported as "board of director is owner." Other...

American Life League reported paying $1,862,208 and $554,897 in 2015 and 2017, respectively, to Anthony Kane and Associates for "p...

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Animal Protection Charity Issued a Decade of 'F' Ratings

Aug 12, 2021

"'Donors may as well just skip the donation to SPCAI and put the money directly into the pockets of its professional fundraisers,' Styron [said]. 'It would make little difference.'"

"'Donors may as well just skip the donation to SPCAI and put the money directly into the pockets of its professional fundraisers,'...

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Telemarketer for Firefighters Charity Keeps 75% of Donations

Jul 23, 2021

CharityWatch Executive Director, Laurie Styron, was recently contacted by Patrick Nelson of KOAA News5 Colorado in response to a tip from a viewer asking about a telemarketing call he received. On the other end of the line was a f...

CharityWatch Executive Director, Laurie Styron, was recently contacted by Patrick Nelson of KOAA News5 Colorado in response to a t...

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Fundraisers for ‘F’ Rated Charities Hit with a Combined ...

May 19, 2021

In separate actions in January 2021 and September 2020, the FTC joined forces with state charity regulators across the country to crack down on the predatory fundraising practices of for-profit companies soliciting donations on be...

In separate actions in January 2021 and September 2020, the FTC joined forces with state charity regulators across the country to ...

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Nearly 20 CharityWatch 'F' Rated Charities Cited in FTC Comp...

Mar 05, 2021

CharityWatch has different tools in our toolbox than the FTC and state charity regulators. As an independent charity watchdog organization, we are often able to warn donors about inefficient charities and predatory fundraising sch...

CharityWatch has different tools in our toolbox than the FTC and state charity regulators. As an independent charity watchdog orga...

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‘Scam PACs’ Are On the Rise: Don’t Confuse Them for Le...

Jun 17, 2020

Political action committees, also known as PACs, are not the same thing as public charities, but some questionable actors from the charity world may be confusing donors into thinking otherwise. These individuals appear to be opera...

Political action committees, also known as PACs, are not the same thing as public charities, but some questionable actors from the...

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COVID-19: The Struggle & the Aftermath

Apr 15, 2020

A Message from CharityWatch’s Executive Director, Laurie Styron: In times of tragedy we feel a deep need to make sense of an often chaotic world and to find order within it by acting upon it in some way. Donating to charit...

A Message from CharityWatch’s Executive Director, Laurie Styron: In times of tragedy we feel a deep need to make sense of ...

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California AG Accuses Another Aid Charity of Misleading Dono...

Jun 24, 2019

The office of the California Attorney General (OAG) "is committed to protecting generous donors from the harm caused by misleading accounting gimmicks," states a May 30th, 2019 press release announcing the OAG's lawsuit......

The office of the California Attorney General (OAG) "is committed to protecting generous donors from the harm caused by misleading...

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Charity Continues to Deceive Donors In the Name of Fallen Po...

Dec 05, 2018

"Police officers put their lives on the line every day for their communities. It is wrong for any organization to try to take advantage of public sympathy for the losses of the families of fallen heroes," said Minnesota's Attorney...

"Police officers put their lives on the line every day for their communities. It is wrong for any organization to try to take adva...

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How To Check If a Charity Respects Your Privacy

Oct 19, 2018

Before you make a charitable donation, do you consider how the charity might make use of your personal information? In other words, do you check for a donor privacy policy? Did you realize that some charities don't have a written ...

Before you make a charitable donation, do you consider how the charity might make use of your personal information? In other words...

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Aid Charity's 95% Program Claim Is 'Unfair and Deceptive'

Jul 13, 2018

The California AG has accused Food For The Poor of using an "unfair and deceptive" program percentage statement in its fundraising solicitations. In that "95% Statement," which per the AG, "created a likelihood of confusion...

The California AG has accused Food For The Poor of using an "unfair and deceptive" program percentage statement in its fundraising...

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Don't Be Fooled By Name Rip-off Charity Scams

Jun 15, 2018

How much harm could there really be in confusing the names of two charities? Confusing a poorly-run charity for a well-run charity is one thing, but imagine how disheartening it would be if the entire amount of what you thought wa...

How much harm could there really be in confusing the names of two charities? Confusing a poorly-run charity for a well-run charity...

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'False Financial Reporting Scheme' Leads to Shut Down of Can...

Mar 23, 2018

According to a Final Judgment and Permanent Injunction, dated March 8, 2018, in the matter of The People of the State of California v. The National Cancer Coalition, The National Cancer Coalition (NCC) has been shut down. In a co...

According to a Final Judgment and Permanent Injunction, dated March 8, 2018, in the matter of The People of the State of Californi...

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Florida AG Seeking Shut Down of Charity Exploiting Causes fo...

Dec 27, 2017

"It is absolutely abhorrent to exploit families of fallen firefighters and breast cancer patients to steal from generous Floridians. …[E]very dollar given to a deceptive charity is a dollar that does not go to those in need. Thi...

"It is absolutely abhorrent to exploit families of fallen firefighters and breast cancer patients to steal from generous Floridian...

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Costly and Continuous Kars4Kids Ads Disguise Charity's Real ...

Mar 10, 2017

Described by many as annoying and by SFGate.com as the subject of "widespread, ubiquitous hate," the catchy advertising jingle for the charity known as Kars4Kids can now be heard not only on radio stations nationwide...

Described by many as annoying and by SFGate.com as the subject of "widespread, ubiquitous hate," the catchy advertising jingle for...

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Crowdfunding Popularity Continues to Soar Despite Risks to D...

Jan 20, 2017

Several years ago most people probably had never heard the word "crowdfunding." Unfortunately, as the popularity of crowdfunding continues to soar, so does the potential for fraudulent or fake fundraising campaigns...

Several years ago most people probably had never heard the word "crowdfunding." Unfortunately, as the popularity of crowdfund...

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