CHARLOTTE — In the aftermath of Hurricanes Milton and Helene, the Internal Revenue Service cautioned North Carolina taxpayers of scammers who use fake charities to gather sensitive personal and financial data from unsuspecting donors.
Scammers commonly set up fake charities to take advantage of peoples’ generosity during natural disasters and other tragic events.
“Many people want to help survivors and their families by donating to charities,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “Too often, criminals take advantage of would-be donors’ kindness by stealing money and personal information from well-meaning taxpayers. You should never feel pressured by solicitors to immediately give to a charity. It’s important to do the research to verify if they’re authentic first.”
Tax-Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) tool
Those interested in making donations should first check the Tax-Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) tool on IRS.gov to help find or verify qualified, legitimate charities. With this tool, people can: