Check a charity name that resembles one you know

If a mailed appeal uses a name close to a charity you know, confirm the exact organization before you donate or send any request. The FTC warns that some charity names resemble familiar ones. Compare the name on the mailer with the official website and contact details you find independently.

By Junk Mail Magic. Updated October 2, 2026.

Compare the mailer with the charity you know

Copy the full name exactly as printed, including any extra words, along with the address, website and phone number.
Find the charity you thought it was by searching yourself. Do not use a link, QR code or number from the mailer.
Put the two names side by side and note differences in wording, location and stated mission.
If you want to know whether the familiar charity sent the mailer, ask through contact details from its official site. If the mailer mentions a past pledge, check that claim against your own giving records.

Check before drawing conclusions

Two legitimate organizations can have similar names, so a resemblance is a reason to check. It does not prove the sender is dishonest.

A request to stop appeals must go to the organization that actually mailed you. If you send it to the better-known charity, it will not reach this sender.

Charity name comparison sheet

Example for your own use. Replace the bracketed details and review what you share.

Name on the mailer, exactly as printed: [full name] Address and contacts on the mailer: [address, phone, website] Charity I thought it was: [familiar charity name] Official website I found myself: [website, how found] Differences in name, location or mission: [differences] Contact details from the official site: [contact route] Pledge claimed on the mailer: [claim, matches my records yes/no] Next step: [donate, ask, report or set aside]

Pick your next contact

If the official site confirms the mailer, use the contact route published there to ask about mail preferences. If it does not, record the mismatch. If the mailer asked for money, consider reporting it. In either case, keep the sheet with the original mailer.

Official source

FTC: Before Giving to a Charity

Verify an unfamiliar charity before replying Match a brand to the legal name on a mailer Verify a number printed on unfamiliar mail Suspicious mail All practical mail guides

Keep personal records with the organization that handles them

Junk Mail Magic is for ordinary unwanted advertising. Use the official contact route in this guide for records, account changes or someone else’s correspondence.

Compare removal routes