We are nearing the end of the year and with that comes lots of ways to donate to charities. And if you are like me you see countless requests for donations to different events come through your email and even show up on Facebook. But even donating through what seems to be a reputable website can have some risks.
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month and National Crime Prevention Month! And for the entire month of October LifeLock is making sure you are safe when you donate online.
You may remember last month I talked about the LifeLock for Life Sweepstakes on Facebook. Well it is still going on and you can win some great prizes. But more than that you can also learn some tips to help keep you safe when donating online.
This month in addition to learning tips to help you donate safely you can also win a donation to your favorite charity.
When donating to an online charity also look for the https:// in their web address. The S means that it is a secure site. What this means for you is there is an authentication of the web site and associated web server. It also provides encryption of information being shared. Besides the secure site you should also look for a key or padlock symbol located in the corner of the web browser.
You run just as much risk of donating online as you do over the phone. So always your time and do your research before donating to anyone. You can check tax exempt status through the IRS and often a simple internet search for an organization will bring up reviews of experiences others have had with a group.
Always be careful of email solicitations. And be leery when you receive a charity donation request by email. Many legitimate charities will email people who have donated before but rarely do they send requests out blindly.
Make sure you follow LifeLock on Twitter and Facebook. For the month of October they will be sharing more about cyber security and crime prevention.
I am a LifeLock Brand Ambassador and have received compensation for my participation. All opinions are my own.
About Rachel
You have to be careful!
Anne – Mommy Has to Work recently posted..Learn the Basics in Home Cooking
Great tips and very timely. Thanks!
Connie Seattle Mom Blogger recently posted..Shop or Pin to Benefit LOOK GOOD FEEL BETTER Charity #LGFB @LGFB
This is great information!
Jennifer H recently posted..Comment on SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular Weekends by Sheri
Great info. It’s scary what bad people will do!
Amy recently posted..Discover Green Giant Seasoned Steamers (& Giveaway)
The lifelock sweepstakes is so fun.
Thanks, this is great information!
Maggie recently posted..Super Easy Nutella Bread Pudding
I hadn’t realized until recently how importantly that “s” was in the URL but now look for it constantly when doing anything requiring personal or financial information.
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom recently posted..My Thoughts on Turning 30
Great tips. I know people who have gotten scammed with donations in the past, sadly.
Katie recently posted..Sesame Street Live! Save with a promo code!