Fake Charity Scams on Pinterest
Fraudulent charity campaigns use Pinterest's visually compelling format to share emotive cause-related content that directs users to fraudulent donation pages rather than legitimate organisations.
Part of: Fake Charity Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Pinterest charity scams use the platform's strength in emotionally resonant visual storytelling to promote fraudulent causes. Carefully composed images with impactful captions drive high engagement and share rates, spreading fraudulent donation requests organically through repinning.
The platform's positive, aspirational tone makes users less sceptical of charity appeals than they might be on platforms associated with controversy or debate.
How this scam works on Pinterest
A charity pin features compelling imagery related to an animal welfare, children's welfare, or disaster relief cause, with a donation button or external link directing users to a fake charity site. The site processes donations to a personal account with no accountability structure.
Other operations impersonate known charities by using their name and imagery in pins, diverting donors who believe they are giving to a legitimate organisation. The fraudulent site is designed to closely mimic the real charity's donation page.
Around high-profile disasters or viral causes, fraudulent charity boards are created rapidly, taking advantage of the emotional response before the real charity's digital presence can meet demand.
Common red flags
- Charity pin with no verifiable organisation name or registration number
- Donation page URL that does not match the charity's official domain
- Appeal to a well-known cause where the donation page differs from the mainstream charity
- Pin created very recently coinciding with a current disaster or news event
- Donation destination using personal payment apps rather than formal fundraising infrastructure
- Board with exclusively emotive charity content and no about page or organisation history
How to protect yourself
- Verify any charity through its official registered name on your national charity database
- Donate directly to known charities via their official website rather than following Pinterest links
- Check that the charity registration number shown matches official records
- Search the charity name plus 'scam' before donating via any Pinterest-sourced link
- Use the charity's official app or website for donations after a major news event
How to report it
- Report fraudulent charity pins via Pinterest's report function
- Report fake charities to your national charity regulator
- Alert the legitimate charity being impersonated so they can warn their supporters
Frequently asked questions
Can I safely donate to charities I discover on Pinterest?
Treat Pinterest charity discovery as the beginning of research, not the final step. Verify the organisation independently before donating and always donate directly through the official charity website.