Have you ever gotten an email asking for your credit card number?  Almost everyone has.  “Send us your bank account and routing number, and we will send you Prince Soandso’s secret inheritance.”  Does anyone fall for that stuff?  They must because the emails keep coming.  Scams and identity theft cost innocent people millions of dollars every year.  The federal trade commission creates a report to see in which states the most identity is stolen.  The most recent report is from 2009, which shows that the 10 most scammed states in the USA are:

  1. Washington D.C
  2. Nevada
  3. Colorado
  4. Maryland
  5. Florida
  6. Arizona
  7. Oregon
  8. Washington
  9. Delaware
  10. California

People often see scammers requesting money and some have become more cautious, and even sometimes skeptical, of legitimate charities.  This reaction is understandable but can make it difficult for fundraising.  It can be hard for donors to trust a nonprofit with their money.  This is one example of why it is so important to develop a relationship with your donors.  Let people know what their donation goes to.  Consider creating videos that show images of your organization changing lives.  When a nonprofit has developed trust in their donors, they will be cheerful givers and bring success to your organization.