06/30/2025
🚨Donation Scam Targeting Rescues 🚨
Warning to our fellow rescues and shelters. We were nearly caught in a scam this week, and from what we heard, this one is spreading fast.
Last week, someone contacted us offering a $2,000 donation. They seemed genuine and polite, and even mentioned it was part of their annual giving tradition. Today, a check for $20,000 showed up in the mail, complete with tracking and a company name.
We immediately thought this was too good to be true (because, you know, when it seems that way, it usually is).
Sure enough, after some research, we found a bunch of 🚩 🚩 🚩.
⚠️ Apparently, this is how the scam works:
1. Someone reaches out offering a believable donation.
(In our case, $2,000.)
2. Then they send a check for MUCH more.
(We got one for $20,000. And believe us, it looks 100% legit.)
3. Once you deposit it, they follow up by asking you to refund the part (e.g., “Oh, we meant to send $2K — can you return the difference?”)
Or they might say, “Can you forward $5K to another nonprofit/vendor for us?”
4. Quickly thereafter, the check bounces, and you are now on the hook.
We didn’t deposit it, but just holding that check in our hands—thinking about what it could have done for our foster babies, especially with a really big vet bill coming up for sweet Hilda—was infuriating and heartbreaking.
Scammers target small organizations like ours because they know we live off trust and hope. 💔
⸻
🚫 Please watch out for:
• Donors offering large, unexpected gifts
• Requests to refund part or forward funds
• Generic emails (Gmail, Yahoo) and vague business names
• Checks from mailbox addresses (UPS stores, etc.)
⸻
✅ Protect your shelter/rescue:
• Always research the company/donor before depositing large or unusual checks.
• Never send funds on someone else’s behalf.
• Stick to safe platforms like PayPal Giving Fund or Venmo for Business.
If your organization receives a similar message, double-check before acting and feel free to message us if you want to compare notes.
We look out for each other. 🧡
