Is a charity text asking for donations after a natural disaster real?
Genuine charities do use SMS donation campaigns, but disaster phishing texts impersonating charities appear within hours of major events. Always donate through the charity's verified official channels.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Disaster donation phishing exploits compassion. Fraudulent texts arrive quickly after earthquakes, floods, or other events, using the names of well-known charities or inventing new credible-sounding relief funds. Links in the texts lead to fake payment pages. To donate safely after any disaster, navigate directly to the charity's official website by searching for the charity's verified name — not by clicking the link in a text. You can also check charity registration numbers against your national charity regulator. Many countries have also established official text-to-donate short codes for major charities, which provide an additional layer of confidence.
Common red flags
- Text arrives within hours of a disaster with a payment link
- Charity name is very similar to but not exactly that of a known organisation
- Link goes to a domain that differs from the charity's official website
- Donation text asks for more personal information than a donation normally requires
What to do now
- Go to the charity's official website directly rather than clicking any link
- Verify the charity's registration number on your national charity regulator's database
- Report suspicious donation texts to your national fraud service
- If you donated to a fake charity, contact your bank to dispute the charge
Frequently asked questions
How quickly do fraudulent disaster relief texts appear?
Scammers monitor news and can launch campaigns within hours of a major disaster. This is faster than most people assume — scepticism about disaster donation texts in the immediate aftermath is fully warranted.