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A Comprehensive List of 35 Fake Charities

A photo of a man stuffing dollar bills into his business coat pocket.
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Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity analyzer, has just released a list of 35 fake charities. None of these charities are registered as 501(c)(3)s, making their public donation solicitations illegal. Unfortunately, this also means that any donations made to these charities are not tax deductible. In most cases, once the donation has been made, there is no chance of getting it back. Take a look at the list below and make sure to share it on social media to protect other donators from being scammed.

  1. Boobies Rock!
  2. Care Package Campaign
  3. Community College Consortium on Autism and Intellectual Disabilities
  4. Delaware Firefighters Foundation
  5. Disabled Veterans of America
  6. Employ Young Adults
  7. Flintwater.com
  8. FM World Charities
  9. Fresh Start Opportunities
  10. The Herron Foundation
  11. I Care Foundation
  12. Juniata Community Mental Health Clinic
  13. Long Island Responds
  14. Matthew M. Brennan Foundation
  15. National Foundation of America
  16. New Hampshire Wildlife Parks & Wildlife Rescue
  17. New Jersey Youth Club
  18. One Child Saved
  19. One Church! One Can! One Night!
  20. One Door for Education, Inc.
  21. Paralyzed American Veterans
  22. RRR Service Dogs
  23. Safety Publications
  24. Say No 2 Cancer
  25. The Se7ven Group
  26. Southeast K9 Search and Rescue
  27. Spotlight on Heroes
  28. Tackle Hatred Now
  29. Tixr4kids.com
  30. United Soldiers Outreach LLC
  31. United States Disabled Veterans
  32. United States Handicapped-Disadvantaged
  33. Veterans Helping Nevada Veterans
  34. Winged Warriors
  35. Winning Ways

To avoid being scammed, Charity Navigator always advises donators to request the organization’s Employee Identification Number (EIN). An EIN can be used to verify whether the organization is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. However, take note that even official 501(c)(3) status offers no guarantee that the organization is legitimate. Further research is needed to fully evaluate whether a charity is worth donating to. One key thing to look for is tax information. Genuine organizations will openly provide this information, as well as a complete breakdown of how donations are spent. For more information on how to protect against charity fraud, click here.