Frequently Asked Questions |
Is my credit card information secure?American Red Cross takes every precaution to protect our donors' information. When donors submit sensitive information via the Web site, your information is protected both online and offline. We use high grade encryption and the https security protocol to communicate with your browser software. This method is the industry standard security protocol, which makes it extremely difficult for anyone else to intercept the credit card information you send to us. Companies we work with to process credit card transactions also use high grade encryption and security protocols. The American Red Cross employs error checking procedures to make certain transactions are processed completely and accurately. As necessary, changes are made to improve our systems. And, independent external and internal audits are conducted to ensure the privacy, security and appropriate processing of your information on our site. Committed to the protection & privacy for all of our users, it is the policy of American Red Cross to continually enhance our fraud protection systems and our other processes to fight identity theft. In addition to maintaining privacy and security controls over information you share with us, the American Red Cross works to accurately process your contribution information. During business hours (M-F, 9am - 5pm EST) our Donor Services staff is available to answer questions about your financial donation at (800) 797-8022, or donorsupport@usa.redcross.org. My donation was denied. Why?If your donation failed after completing the transaction, it is likely that information provided, such as the credit card identification number did not match exactly with what is on file at your bank. For further assistance, you may contact our Donor Services Department at (800) 797-8022, or donorsupport@usa.redcross.org. For quicker response, please have the details of your transaction ready when you contact us. Can I cancel a donation?You may need to cancel a donation. Here's how: Contact our American Red Cross Donor Services Department at donorsupport@usa.redcross.org or (800) 797-8022 and they will request some information and handle your cancellation. For quickest assistance, please have the details of your transaction ready when you contact us. Can I change where I want my donation to go?Yes. Please contact our American Red Cross Donor Services Department at donorsupport@usa.redcross.org or (800) 797-8022. Please have ready the date of your gift, the dollar amount, the fund it went to, and the fund you would like it to go to. If you need to leave a voicemail message, please be sure to leave your name and phone number, including your area code. Can I dedicate my donation to someone or make a donation on behalf of a person?Yes. You can make your donation a "tribute" to someone—in their honor, or in memory of a lost loved one. This information is entered in the Honor/Memorial Donation section. The American Red Cross will mail a Tribute card to your recipient announcing that an Honor or Memorial donation was made by you. You will also receive a card acknowledging your gift. I would like to donate clothes, cars or other items to charity. Does American Red Cross accept in-kind donations?The American Red Cross does not accept or solicit small, individual donations of items for emergency relief purposes. Small items such as collections of food, used clothing, and shoes often must be cleaned, sorted, and repackaged which impedes the valuable resources of money, time, and personnel that are needed for other aspects of our relief operation. The Red Cross, in partnership with other agencies, suggests that the best use for those types of donations is to support needy agencies within donors' local communities. The best way to help a disaster victim is through a financial donation to the American Red Cross. Financial contributions allow the Red Cross to purchase exactly what is needed for the disaster relief operation. Monetary donations also enable the Red Cross to purchase relief supplies close to the disaster site which avoids delays and transportation costs in getting basic necessities to disaster victims. Because the affected community has generally experienced significant economic loss, purchasing relief supplies in or close to the disaster site also helps to stimulate the weakened local economy. Can I make automatic credit card donations?Yes, please contact our Donor Services Department at (800) 797-8022, or donorsupport@usa.redcross.org and we will assist you further. I want to help raise money for a specific family who was affected by disaster. Can I make my gift through the Red cross?We applaud your desire to help a family at a difficult time, but unfortunately gifts for a specific family or person cannot be made through the The American Red Cross. We are committed to helping every family in need recover from emergencies by providing food, clothing, shelter and other essential services and supplies based on need. Special contributions for a specific families violate our principles of providing help equally to all who need it. Why do you require my email address?Your email address is required so we can send you a proper acknowledgement of your gift. Details of your donation are found in this email, which you can print or save for tax purposes. Why do you require another identification number besides my credit card number?The Card Security Code (CSC) is a 3- or 4-digit number printed on your credit card. It provides added security when you use your card on the Internet or over the phone. The number appears only on the card itself, not on receipts or statements. Why do you require a donation amount of $10?Like any other online credit card processing system we are charged by credit card companies. We don't want donors' well-intended gift to be offset by processing fees. How long will it take for my Tribute Card to deliver to the recipient?Allow 2-3 weeks. During holidays, we increase production so that cards deliver quicker, knowing that many donors send these tribute donations as holiday remembrance gifts to loved ones. I made a donation online (or a memorial/in honor of donation) and now I have questions about it. Who can I call?Donor Services Department (800) 797-8022 or donorsupport@usa.redcross.org I don't see the fund that I wanted to donate to. What do I do?Due to space limitations, we only offer our preferred giving options online. These designations, including the Disaster Relief Fund and International Response Fund enable us to meet the needs of the people we serve in your community and around the world. By supporting these funds, you give the Red Cross the resources and flexibility essential to respond to disasters and other emergencies immediately, when assistance is needed the most. For additional assistance in donating to an option not listed, please contact Donor Services at (800) 797-8022 or donorsupport@usa.redcross.org for assistance. I live outside the U.S. Is this why I'm having trouble making a donation?Donors from outside the U.S. can make a gift as long as their credit card is supported by a U.S. based card company. Our online donation system is designed to protect donor security and privacy, and prevent illicit use by frauders. If your credit card is non-US based, you can still mail in your gift by check using our Mail In Form. Is monthly giving helpful to the American Red Cross?Your monthly giving to American Red Cross is a total lifeline to all aspects of our work. Thanks to the commitment of our Champions monthly gifts, a steady stream of funding is available for services like rapid response to disaster victims in need, and ongoing programs that help prevent disasters and prepare people to deal with them. What if I want my monthly giving to go to a different fund than I originally chose?We’re glad to offer you a variety of funds to suit your monthly giving interests including Where Our Need is Greatest, National Disaster Relief Fund, International Response Fund, and Local Chapter giving. If you want to re-allocate your giving from one fund to another, we are happy to help you! Call 1-800-797-8022 and we’ll handle it for you. How do I make changes to my monthly giving account such as, change my monthly amount or change my credit card number?Call 1-800-797-8022 and we’ll handle it for you. Your changes will either take place the same month, or the following month, depending on when we receive your call. How do I cancel my monthly giving?Just call 1-800-797-8022. Your cancellation will take place the same month, or the following month, depending upon when we receive your call. Tell me more about the year end statement that I will receive as a Red Cross Champion. When does that come?Our Champion donors receive a year end cumulative statement reflecting the prior year's total contributions. This statement is sent electronically in February. If you haven’t received your statement by the end of February, email or call us right away and we’ll help you get what you need. Please note that this statement will only contain donations made through the Champions monthly program and other online donations made through www.redcross.org. |