With the continuing rise and development of AI, scams are becoming harder and harder to spot. Within the world of vehicle donations, this risk is even more insidious as bad actors and companies prey on the exceptional generosity of individuals who genuinely want to make a positive impact for their community.

Joe Hearn, President and CEO of Advanced Remarketing Services – the power behind Car Donation Wizard – went on WJAR Studio 10 to talk about the incredible opportunity vehicle donations provide for funding local charities, and outlined 3 simple question every donor can ask to determine if their vehicle donation is going through a legitimate channel/charity, or if they’re about to be duped by a scam.

Check out the full interview by clicking the play button below.

Learn More & Donate Your Vehicle Online or call (888) 966-1425 to start your donation today.

3 Questions to Spot a Vehicle Donation Scam

There are a three key areas for vehicle donors to look at when they are determining the legitimacy of a vehicle donation program:

1. What work is the organization doing in the community?
2. Who am I signing my vehicle over to?
3. How much money is the charity actually receiving?

What work is the organization doing in the community?

If you’re considering donating to a program or a charity, find out what initiatives they are doing in your community. If you don’t see activity or a tangible benefit that directly impacts the people, community, or systems around you, that’s a red flag.

Who am I signing my vehicle over to?

When you donate your vehicle, you should be instructed to sign your vehicle directly over to the charity or to their authorized, licensed agent (ie. Advanced Remarketing Services). Signing to an individual or a third-party that isn’t directly contracted by the charity is a red flag. You can reach out to charity representatives to confirm representative authorization if you are unsure.

How much money is the charity actually receiving?

Before you submit any information, this should be one of the first questions you ask. Most scams will claim 100% of funds go to the charity – confirm this with the charity. Even legitimate donation programs run by unscrupulous organizations can skimp on the funds, keeping 50-90% of the gross profits for themselves. A quick search into the vehicle donation program will provide most information that you’re looking for, but you can always reach out to the charity you want to support and get confirmation from them as well.

If you’re looking for vehicle donation programs where the charity receives 60-80% of the gross profits from every vehicle they receive, browse the charities on Car Donation Wizard. Each of these charities are using a vehicle donation program powered by Advanced Remarketing Services where returns of the majority of funds to the charity is a guarantee.