The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) regulates registered charities under the Income Tax Act and recommends that you follow the tips below:

Learn and Confirm

• Consult the CRA Charities Listings at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/donors/ or call 1-800-267-2384 to confirm that a charity registered with the CRA.
• Confirm that you will receive an official donation receipt if you want to claim a tax credit.
• Make sure you know who you are donating to. Sometimes fraudulent charities use names that are similar to well-known and respected charities.
• Beware of schemes that promise you tax savings greater than your cost, thus allowing you to ‘profit’ from donating to a registered charity. Go to the donor alert section of http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/donors/.

Take Action

• Write cheques payable to the charity, not an individual, or make sure that your online payments are secure.
• Refuse to donate if there is inappropriate pressure to give immediately or you are offered a receipt for more than you actually donate.
• Report fraud to Phone Busters, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre, at: 1-888-495-8501.

The above information is taken from the Canada Revenue Agency pamphlet, “Be an informed donor”. For more information visit the CRA website at: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/donors/.