Ahead of Giving Tuesday, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has issued a warning to residents to use caution when deciding where to make charitable donations during the holiday season.

“During this giving season, I encourage potential donors to take a few minutes to review my Charitable Trust Bureau’s tips before making any Giving Tuesday donations and throughout the holidays,” Raoul said in a statement.

“I will continue to offer resources to protect generous Illinois residents who give charitable donations so they find comfort in knowing their donations are used for the intended purpose,” he said.

Under Illinois law, all fundraisers and charitable organizations are required to register annually with the Attorney General’s office.

To avoid scammers or donating to fraudulent organizations Raoul offered the following tips to potential donors:

• Do independent research into charities. Do not assume that organizations being promoted on social media or in text messages have been properly scrutinized or are legitimate.
• Pay close attention to charity names. Some scammers use names that sound like legitimate charities or use look-alike logos to imitate other organizations.
• Only donate to an organization when all your questions have been answered and you are sure the money will be used as intended.
• Check if the organization is registered with the Illinois Attorney General’s office and what percentage of the money the charity takes in goes to actual programming.
• Exercise caution when making online donations and watch out for spam email solicitations. Some scammers appear to be linked to groups, but are actually from individuals looking to take advantage of those looking to help people in areas impacted by crisis. Be wary of unfamiliar charities.
• Do not make donations using peer-to-peer payment apps like Venmo and Zelle. For security and tax purposes Raoul’s office recommends making most charitable donations by check, credit card, or other payment form with a traceable record. If paying by check, write the full official name of the organization.
• Get written information when possible. Legitimate charities will provide full information about their missions, how donations are distributed, and proof of tax deductible status.
• Do not donate to organizations using high-pressure tactics, or that insist on cash payments or sending someone to your residence to pick up the donation. These are usually signs of a scam.

Raoul noted that if donors suspect an organization is a scam, they should take notes about their contact with the organization including the group name, time of contact, and any names of solicitors, as well as its purported purpose.

Residents are encouraged to review the information on the Attorney General’s website and report any suspicious solicitations to the Charitable Trust Bureau online or by phone.