IRS Warns of Fake Charity Scams

Last week the president declared a state of emergency for South Carolina, extending the October 15 tax deadline for "affected taxpayers in Bamberg, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Greenwood, Horry, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter and Williamsburg Counties" to February 16, 2016. In the wake of this natural disaster, the IRS warns donors about the possibility of fake charity scams in South Carolina and other areas hit by natural disasters.

If you want to donate to disaster relief charities to help flood victims in South Carolina, the IRS provides tools to help you steer clear of scam artists looking to impersonate legitimate organizations. Both the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the IRS Exempt Organizations Select Check search feature list eligible charities. The IRS advises donors to be wary of any website or individual asking for your Social Security, credit card, and bank account numbers and to avoid sending cash.

Those pledging donations can claim deductions for their contributions.

For more information on disaster relief, see this IRS page and DisasterAssistance.gov.

Sources: Internal Revenue Service; Disaster Assistance.gov