The FTC says Cancer Recovery Foundation, Inc. (CRFI) was a sham charity that lied to donors about how their donations would be spent. Instead of helping cancer patients, the vast majority of every donation went to fundraisers and the executive director – cancer patients got only about 1% of the $18.25 million donated to the charity.
The next time you get a call or letter to donate to a charity, consider these steps to donate safely:
- Take your time: Hang up and check out the charity. Some scammers
use names that look and sound like real charities. - Find out how much of your donation goes to the program you
want to support. If donating locally is important to you, ask how
your donation will impact your area. - Don’t donate to anyone who insists you pay by cash, gift card,
wiring money, or cryptocurrency. If you decide to donate, pay by
credit card, which gives you more protections.
Do Your Homework! Check out ALL non-profits before you donate one cent! For a list of vetted Breast Cancer charities, visit www.charitywatch.org.
