Fake Charity Scams via Email
Fraudsters send emotional fundraising appeals by email after disasters or during campaigns, diverting donations to personal accounts instead of genuine causes.
Part of: Fake Charity Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Email is the favoured channel for fake charity solicitations because it is cheap to send at scale and easily dressed up with compelling images and emotional storytelling. Criminals register domain names that closely mimic well-known charities or invent entirely fictitious organisations, then blast appeals timed to follow breaking news events such as natural disasters or humanitarian crises.
Victims who donate in good faith receive a receipt that looks official but their money goes directly to the scammer. Some operations even follow up with further donation requests, since they now know the victim is willing to give.
How this scam works on Email
Fake charity emails typically include distressing imagery (sometimes stolen from genuine news coverage), donation buttons linking to payment pages that collect card details, and a sense of urgency ('Donations needed within 48 hours to reach survivors'). The sender address may closely mimic a legitimate charity.
A subtler variant involves 'lookalike charities' — real-sounding names that collect donations but spend almost nothing on the stated cause, funnelling most funds to 'administration'. These are harder to detect but equally harmful.
Common red flags
- Email sent shortly after a high-profile disaster or news event, unsolicited
- Charity name is very similar to a well-known organisation but not identical
- Donation link goes to a payment processor or bank account rather than the charity's verified website
- No registration number or verifiable registration with a charity regulator
- Request for gift card codes or wire transfers instead of standard donation methods
- Emotional pressure to give immediately without time to research
How to protect yourself
- Verify the charity's registration number with your national charity regulator before donating
- Navigate to the charity's website directly rather than clicking email links
- Donate through established platforms that verify charities
- Be sceptical of very new organisations soliciting during breaking news events
- Keep a record of donation confirmations and cross-check that the receiving account matches the charity's official details
How to report it
- Report fake charity solicitations to your national charity regulator (e.g. Charity Commission, IRS Form 13909)
- Forward the email to your email provider's abuse team
- Report to Action Fraud, the FTC, or your local consumer protection authority
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a charity email is genuine?
Look up the charity independently on your national regulator's public register, then navigate to their official website directly to donate. Never rely solely on the contact details or links provided in an unsolicited email.