Commissioner Nikki Fried & FDACS Offer Charitable Best Practices Ahead of Giving Tuesday

Tallahassee, Fla. — As the state’s regulatory agency for charities, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried are providing consumers with tips to donate to charities safely on Giving Tuesday and avoid scams. Giving Tuesday is a global movement that inspires millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

“As Florida’s consumer protection agency and charity regulator, we’re always working to ensure your charitable donations are reaching those in need,” said Commissioner Nikki Fried. “This Giving Tuesday, we’re sharing ways you can avoid sham charities, verify your hard-earned money is going to registered organizations, and get the latest information on recent charity scams.”

With the added financial strain COVID-19 has caused across the nation, many charitable organizations are seeing a greater demand for their services. This Giving Tuesday, make sure your donation is going to a reputable organization and will be used for its intended purpose. All charities soliciting within the state of Florida (excluding religious, educational, political, and governmental agencies) are required to register and file financial information with FDACS. 

According to FDACS and Commissioner Fried, here are six tips to help consumers give safely:

1. Check if the organization is properly registered with the state through our Check-a-Charity tool or by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA (1-800-FL-AYUDA en Español) to find out if a charity is properly registered, how much the charity is spending on administration and fundraising, and how much money goes to actual programming.

1. Search the organization’s name online along with key words like “complaint” and “scam.” Also look for reviews and feedback about the organization. Don’t assume solicitations on social media or crowdfunding campaigns are legitimate — even posts that are shared or liked by your friends. Do your own research.

1. Ask how exactly your donation will be used, what specific cause it will go towards, and how much of the contribution will be used for program services.

1. Request written information about the organization and a breakdown of how the money is being utilized. Consumers should not assume their donation will be spent a particular way.

1. Verify whether your donation is tax-deductible since only certain organizations are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. Ask for the organization’s tax-exempt number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), or use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool. Donations to individuals are not tax-deductible. Remember that crowdfunding campaigns are not tax deductible.

1. Pay with a credit card or check to be safe. Do not donate in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money — these forms of payment lack any security measures, making them appealing to scammers.

The Federal Trade Commission is a partner agency to FDACS at the federal level and also has helpful consumer information on how to donate wisely and avoid charity scams. If consumers have concerns or questions about charities, they can file a complaint or find answers at FloridaConsumerHelp.com or by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA or 1-800-FL-AYUDA en Español.

About FDACS and the Division of Consumer Services: FDACS is Florida’s state consumer protection agency, responsible for regulating charities and handling consumer complaints. FDACS handles more than 400,000 consumer complaints and inquiries, oversees more than 500,000 regulated devices, entities, and products like gas pumps and grocery scales, performs over 61,000 lab analyses on products like gasoline and brake fluid, performs nearly 9,000 fair ride inspections, and returned over $2.8 million to consumers through mediations with businesses.

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