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Cybersecurity 4 min read2025-11-08

Holiday Scams in Disguise: What to Watch Out for When Donating Online

Veracity Technologies Team
By Veracity Technologies Team 2025-11-08

Online donation scams spike sharply during the holidays. Here is how your business can give safely without falling for fraud.

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Charitable giving spikes during the holiday season - and so do fraudulent donation scams designed to exploit that generosity. Businesses running corporate giving programs face particular risk given the volume and visibility involved.

Common Holiday Donation Scam Patterns

  • •Fake charity websites closely mimicking legitimate, well-known organizations, designed to capture payment information.
  • •Urgent, emotionally-charged appeals timed to holiday giving, discouraging recipients from verifying legitimacy before donating.
  • •Fraudulent crowdfunding campaigns exploiting real disaster or hardship news to solicit donations that never reach anyone in need.
  • •Phishing emails impersonating known charities, requesting payment through unusual methods like gift cards or wire transfers.

How to Verify Before You Donate

  • •Navigate directly to a charity's known website rather than clicking links in emails or social media posts.
  • •Verify registered charity status through independent resources before donating, especially for organizations you're unfamiliar with.
  • •Be cautious of any request for payment via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency - legitimate charities rarely require these methods.
  • •If donating on behalf of the business, route requests through a verified, consistent process rather than ad-hoc individual decisions.

Protecting Corporate Giving Programs Specifically

Businesses running employee matching or corporate giving programs should establish a pre-vetted list of legitimate organizations, reducing the risk of well-intentioned donations being redirected to fraudulent campaigns.

Veracity Technologies helps Minneapolis-St. Paul businesses build the security awareness needed to recognize and avoid seasonal scams, including fraudulent charitable appeals.

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Schedule a free technology and cyber risk audit with our team.

Published 2025-11-08 · Last reviewed December 2025