Publication 5461-E — Be aware of scammers who use fake

Official source: IRS Forms, Instructions & Publications (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5461e.pdf), retrieved 2026-10-03. U.S. Government work (17 U.S.C. § 105).

to get sensitive information¶

The IRS and Security Summit partners warn taxpayers to be wary

of fake charities used by scammers to get money as well as

sensitive financial and personal information from victims.

Here are some important tips:

Taxpayers should always check out a charity before they donate. Donors should always check to make sure they are giving to a legitimate charity and can easily do so by using a special IRS tool on IRS.gov.
Individuals should never let any caller pressure them. A legitimate charity will be happy to receive a donation at any time, so there’s no rush. Donors are encouraged to take time to do their own research.
Be careful about how a donation is made. Taxpayers shouldn’t work with charities that ask for donations by giving numbers from a gift card or by wiring money. That’s a scam. It’s safest to pay by credit card or check — and only after researching the charity.

Publication 5461-E (11-2021) Catalog Number 71652Q Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service www.irs.gov