Commissioner Nikki Fried Provides Tips for Safely Donating to Surfside Recovery Efforts

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 and avoid scams as individuals look to support ongoing Surfside recovery and relief efforts.

“My heart is broken for the residents, loved ones, and entire community of Surfside following last week’s building collapse. We hope and pray that the search and rescue team will find survivors as we keep them and the families of those missing in our thoughts. As recovery efforts continue, many are looking for ways to support the work of the brave first responders on the ground and to help our fellow Floridians in their time of need. Unfortunately, when disasters strike, we too often see bad actors try to take advantage of the good will of others,” stated Commissioner Nikki Fried. “At the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, we work year-round to ensure that generous donations get to those in need – even more critical in the wake of tragedies. By verifying you’re giving to legitimate organizations and being aware of the latest scams to avoid, our department is here to help you give safely.”

According to Commissioner Fried and the FDACS Division of Consumer Services, here are six tips to help consumers give safely: 

1. Search the organization’s name online along with key words like “complaint” and “scam.” Also look for reviews and feedback about the organization.
2. 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.
3. Check if the organization is properly registered with the state through our Check-a-Charity tool.
4. 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.
5. Verify whether or not your donation is tax deductible. Not every organization that solicits contributions is tax-deductible, 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.
6. Pay with a credit card or check to be safe. Do not make a donation in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money — these are forms of payment which lack any security measures that scammers take advantage of.

Consumers can call 1-800-HELP-FLA (1-800-FL-AYUDA en español), or visit FloridaConsumerHelp.com 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. 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.

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