Some phony charities will have names that are similar to well-known organizations, as well as websites that sound or look like those of legitimate organizations.

The IRS has a charity search feature, Tax Exempt Organization Search, that allows people to find legitimate, qualified charities to which donations may be tax-deductible.

If requested, charities can provide their Employer Identification Number (EIN) which can be used to verify their legitimacy through the IRS charity search tool.