As Giving Season Nears, the IRS Warns of Fake Charities and Urges Donors to Verify Tax-Exempt Status
The end of the year is the busiest season for charitable giving in the United States, and this year’s Giving Tuesday falls on December 1. The Internal Revenue Service warns that scammers are exploiting that generosity: common schemes include setting up fake charities to collect both money and personal information, a threat featured in the IRS’s 2026 “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams.
The IRS’s first advice to donors is to verify. Only gifts to qualified tax-exempt organizations can be deductible, and donors can check an organization’s status with the Tax Exempt Organization Search tool on IRS.gov. Donations made directly to individuals are not deductible.
On the tax rules, the IRS explains that taxpayers who itemize may deduct charitable contributions under the usual rules, while those who do not itemize can now deduct cash gifts within set limits — for tax year 2026, up to $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for married couples filing jointly. Donors should keep receipts or bank records, and obtain a written acknowledgment for any single contribution of $250 or more.
The IRS also urges caution about pressure tactics and unusual payment demands: legitimate charities do not rush donors or insist on gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency. If an unfamiliar organization’s name closely resembles a well-known charity, check before you give. (Source: Internal Revenue Service)
Source: Internal Revenue Service
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于华盛顿的美国国税局总部大楼。公共领域图片，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Internal Revenue Service Building in Washington, D.C. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
