Fake Charity Scams via PayPal
Fraudulent charitable solicitations collect PayPal donations for fake causes, exploiting the platform's reach and perceived legitimacy to steal from well-intentioned donors.
Part of: Fake Charity Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
PayPal's widespread use as a donation platform makes it a natural vehicle for fake charity fraud. Scammers create convincing donation pages or solicitation emails that direct donors to PayPal payment links controlled by the fraudster rather than any registered charity.
PayPal is chosen because donors trust its brand, the donation flow is familiar, and — crucially — many fake charity PayPal requests use the Friends and Family option to avoid the buyer protection that could allow a reversal.
How this scam works on PayPal
A social media post or email describes a compelling cause — a sick child, a community in crisis, a family facing hardship — and includes a PayPal.me link or a 'Donate Now' button. The link goes to a personal PayPal account, not a registered charity payment processor.
Fake charity websites include PayPal donation buttons that look identical to legitimate charity PayPal flows but route to personal or fraudulent business accounts.
During disasters, fraudulent fundraisers appear on PayPal's own fundraising platform before they are detected and removed. Some use charity names that are nearly identical to known organisations.
Common red flags
- Donation goes to a PayPal personal account or PayPal.me link rather than a verified charity account
- The charity cannot be found on your national charity regulator's register
- Cause is tied to a very recent event and the campaign was created in the last few days
- Photos or stories in the fundraiser appear on other websites or campaigns via reverse image search
- Donation page shows a very large number of donors but no independent news coverage of the cause
- You are asked to send via PayPal Friends and Family to 'avoid fees'
How to protect yourself
- Donate through a charity's official verified website, not through social media links
- Search the charity name on your national charity regulator's database before donating
- If using PayPal to donate, verify the recipient is a registered business account linked to the charity, not a personal account
- Pay via PayPal Goods and Services rather than Friends and Family to preserve dispute rights
- For crowdfunding campaigns, check the platform's verification status for the campaign organiser
- Report suspicious charity PayPal links to PayPal's Resolution Centre
How to report it
- Report the fraudulent PayPal link to PayPal's fraud reporting team
- Alert your national charity regulator with the campaign details
- Open a PayPal dispute if you donated and believe you were defrauded
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if a PayPal donation button belongs to a real charity's business account?
Check that the payment confirmation names the charity's registered legal entity, not a personal name, and verify this matches its officially registered details on your national charity regulator's database. A donation processing under an individual's name is a clear warning sign.
Is PayPal's own fundraising platform safe to trust for charity donations?
PayPal's fundraising tools have some verification processes, but fraudulent campaigns can still appear before being detected and removed, especially right after a newsworthy event. Independently verify any specific fundraiser rather than assuming platform presence alone guarantees legitimacy.
What's the difference between a PayPal.me link and a verified charity payment page?
A PayPal.me link is a simple personal payment request anyone can create in minutes, with none of the checks applied to registered nonprofit payment processors. Genuine large charities typically use dedicated donation infrastructure on their own website rather than a generic PayPal.me link shared over social media.
Does PayPal offer refunds for fake charity donations?
If you paid via Goods and Services, you can file a dispute for 'item not received' or 'not as described.' Friends and Family payments are not covered by buyer protection. Contact PayPal's customer service and explain you were deceived — while recovery is not guaranteed, it is worth pursuing.