A donation / charity scam involves deceiving individuals by falsely claiming to support a charitable cause, by exploiting people's generosity and goodwill. These scams can take various forms and they usually use urgency and emotional tactics to pressure victims into impulsive decisions, leading them to send funds without due diligence.
How It Works
Scammers often exploit public looking to support humanitarian efforts:
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Scammer often evoke emotions of viewers by posting pictures of wounded veteran, women and children.
They employ various methods including unsolicited email, text messages, fake social media pages or through calls.
Following your donation, you can expect persistent solicitations for more contributions. Donating to one fake charity may result in ongoing contact from others in the future.
Scammers also send thank-you emails for a donation you don’t recall, making you believe you've already contributed to the cause.
Things to keep in mind:
Before donating, search for the charity online and confirm the solicitor's identity, to avoid scams mimicking trusted organizations.
Take your time, legitimate charities respect your decision-making process.
Support charities by visiting their official website instead of clicking on links in emails or messages. Ignore calls, texts, or emails asking for donations.
Never share financial details. Legitimate charities don't ask for bank or credit card information by phone or email.
Be cautious of misspellings in emails or on websites, potential signs of a scam.
Beware of thank-you emails from unfamiliar charities.
Keep track of your donations and check regularly to ensure you haven't been charged more than you agreed to or unknowingly committed to recurring donations.
Protect vulnerable people, especially the elderly, by advising them to consult trusted family or friends before making charitable donations.
Rest assured that CelcomDigi is actively taking measures to ensure our customers do not fall prey to such scams.