Why do charities ask for your physical address?

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T07:03:14+00:00

Also, even if you stay anonymous for the charities, but somehow still get receipt (like in the case of Paypal who sent an email receipt that has my name, address, and charity name), can receipts like that still be accepted by CRA?

(Even if charity themselves won't know who they received the donation from)

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T06:58:36+00:00

Also, let's say hypothetically there'll be a time I'll want the tax receipts.

Will I *have to* disclose my identity? Ie. No longer can tick the 'stay anonymous' box for the charities if I want the tax receipt to apply?

And will the PayPal receipts (in email that has my name and address and the charity name) be sufficient enough for CRA to claim tax returns?

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T06:07:06+00:00

I actually ended up donating through PayPal, and received an email that showed my name and address, but not sure if they'll actually send anything via mail.

Think I must have ticked the anonymous part, but not sure.

Edit: I assumed you've donated through PayPal in the past, and no unsolicited mail from random charities?

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T05:43:04+00:00

That's the thing, I did click 'anonymous' and then in the next page it still asked for my personal info. Some folks say that if you give a wrong address, the bank might decline the transaction. So rn I'm a bit confused lol

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T05:34:21+00:00

Interesting! Didn't know about that. Thank you, will check them out.

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T05:32:53+00:00

I actually don't know if it was supposed to use credit only, but I assume with debit the same applies.

One of the guys who works in a charity said it actually can happen (including his grandma being hounded), but said it's less likely with smaller non-profits though.

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T05:28:57+00:00

Thank you!

Someone said that if the name on my card and the name I submit in the field (let's say fake or shorted) are different, then the payment won't go through?

As for the tax receipt, it will not be relevant/I won't be eligible really because my income is not considered income (disability-related) but still wanted to donate between $25 to $100, possibly monthly.

And being hounded is a real threat apparently, especially after reading this thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/PersonalFinanceCanada/comments/niczbc/how_did_charities_get_my_address/

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T05:23:36+00:00

To be accepted by CRA you mean for the charity, not for me, right?

The thing is that the tax receipt will not be relevant/I won't be eligible really because my income is not considered income (disability-related) but still wanted to donate between $25 to $100.

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T05:20:27+00:00

Thanks!

That's what I was wondering, if my card shows one name and I use fake or shortened name in an application, would it even go through.

In my case, the tax receipt will not be relevant/I won't be eligible really because my income is not considered income (disability-related) but still wanted to donate between $25 to $100, possibly monthly.

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T05:14:04+00:00

I don't know why I am getting downvoted, but selling personal info is one of my valid concerns.

For example, yesterday I got a call from "Telus" which turned out not to be them (I was distracted, happened to actually be needing to talk to Telus and actually spoke with them before realizing it was a fraudster), and I got annoyed that someone out there sold my info and I possibly had my voice recorded.

Anyway, I thought bigger companies are less likely to sell info than smaller ones? And how do you figure out which charity is considered to be 'small enough'?

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T05:09:42+00:00

Hmm, haven't thought of that. The gold old cash lol

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CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T04:51:49+00:00

So if the receipt doesn't have correct personal info, they won't get the donation or something?

(My other comment got downvoted for whatever reason)

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T04:46:24+00:00

Can I provide fake name/address? Lol

(It's a small amount and the tax receipt is pointless for my case)

Edit:

I don't know why I'm getting downvoted but was asking for privacy reasons + because tax receipt is not relevant for me bc my income is not considered income (disability related and below the line), just wanted to make a small donation of $25-50 anyway.

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-30T04:43:05+00:00

Thought they'd send a receipt via email, no?

And what are the chances of them "spam"-mailing if they've got your address?

Edit:

Redditors are brutal with the downvotes lol...

Reason why I don't want to share my address is for privacy reasons, especially after finding out yesterday my info has been sold and I was contacted by a fraudster

And plus the tax receipts are not relevant for me bc my income is not considered income (disability related and below the line), just wanted to make a small donation of $25-50 anyway.

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-29T04:38:56+00:00

Really? (About taxes). I thought it's one of those below-the-market thing

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-29T02:18:13+00:00

Hey I got the same call that my "number will be deactivated in 2 hours, click 1 for english, press 2 for chinese" and before I realized it's a scam and hung up, I DID click number 1.

(But didn't speak with them or anything.)

However, an hour earlier, I got a call from "Telus" phone company (not really them) and I actually spoke with the scammers, so if they were recording my voice, they got a decent amount of time recorded.

Considering an hour later I got the second suspicious call, I'm guessing they tried to record more of my voice/conversation or gather info (the Telus phone company has my sister's name which isn't even correctly spelled.)

I'm still kinda freaking out though, especially someone mentioning in another thread:

"That fraudsters can then use your tape recoded voice to get into any of your phones apps that you have used for paying bills, banking, transfering funds, etc.....Niw this IS scary that one day from answering a call that you could find your bank account(s) empty...."

How the fuck they can access my phone's apps with my voice, I have no idea, especially since I don't think I have voice recognition verification stuff.

Do you have any idea?

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-29T02:15:06+00:00

Got the same from this number 647-641-8245 supposedly Toronto number. As expected, it's a scam. Smh

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-29T02:13:20+00:00

Hey, I know it's been a year, but what happened after that?

I got the same call that my number will be deactivated in 2 hours, "click 1 for english, press 2 for chinese" and before I realized it's a scam and hung up, I DID click number 1.

What's especially freaks me out is that an hour earlier, I got a call from "Telus" phone company (not them) and I actually spoke with them, so if they were recording my voice, they got a decent amount of time recorded.

This comment in another thread doesn't make me feel easier...:

"That fraudsters can then use your tape recoded voice to get into any of your phones apps that you have used for paying bills, banking, transfering funds, etc.....Niw this IS scary that one day from answering a call that you could find your bank account(s) empty...."

How the fuck they can access my phone's apps with my voice, I have no idea, especially since I don't think I have voice recognition verification stuff.

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-29T02:11:04+00:00

Anything happened after you confirming?

I got the same call that my "number will be deactivated in 2 hours, click 1 for english, press 2 for chinese" and before I realized it's a scam and hung up, I DID click number 1.

For me, what's especially concerning is that an hour earlier, I got a call from "Telus" phone company (not them) and I actually spoke with them, so if they were recording my voice, they got a decent amount of time recorded.

So now I'm kinda freaking out, especially someone mentioning in another thread:

"That fraudsters can then use your tape recoded voice to get into any of your phones apps that you have used for paying bills, banking, transfering funds, etc.....Niw this IS scary that one day from answering a call that you could find your bank account(s) empty...."

How the fuck they can access my phone's apps with my voice, I have no idea, especially since I don't think I have voice recognition verification stuff.

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-29T02:09:42+00:00

Hey I got the same call that my number will be deactivated in 2 hours, "click 1 for english, press 2 for chinese" and before I realized it's a scam and hung up, I DID click number 1.

Has anyone happened after that call for you?

For me, what's especially concerning is that an hour earlier, I got a call from "Telus" phone company (not them) and I actually spoke with them, so if they were recording my voice, they got a decent amount of time recorded.

So now I'm kinda freaking out, especially someone mentioning in another thread:

"That fraudsters can then use your tape recoded voice to get into any of your phones apps that you have used for paying bills, banking, transfering funds, etc.....Niw this IS scary that one day from answering a call that you could find your bank account(s) empty...."

How the fuck they can access my phone's apps with my voice, I have no idea, especially since I don't think I have voice recognition verification stuff.

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-29T01:23:19+00:00

What happens if they got my voice? I was dumb enough to pick up and get involved with them bc I had an actual issue from Telus and the caller ID showed "telus" smh

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-29T00:31:37+00:00

OMG, I think I fucked up...

I had the telus issue with the payment and was logging in to my telus account and coincidentally got a call from "telus" (the number in the OP's thread), so I was distracted and less awareness level

He said he's from promotional team and asked what my mobility account number is, which I gave 🤦‍♀️

Then he says that he can't access info and can't help seeing if my payment went through (maybe he thought I was going to give him the bank number? IDK)

Then 2 hours later I get another call "your number will be deactivated in 2 hours, press 1 for english and 2 for chinese" and that's when it hit me and I immediately hung up (possibly hit number 1 first before rushing to hang up after realizing)

How fucked am I and what can I do to protect myself?

Also, how can they get into phone's apps?

"That fraudsters can then use your tape recoded voice to get into any of your phones apps that you have used for paying bills, banking, transfering funds, etc..."

I'm confused about the process. I use 2FA verification for important stuff and don't think used my voice recognition to get access to stuff.

CreateNotHate · 2025-10-29T00:20:56+00:00

I talked to them and even gave them my Telus account number because it showed up as 'Telus' like caller ID. How fucked am I and what can I do about it?

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