Donating & Safety · Updated November 2026 · By the Free Car Help team
Key takeaways
- Real charities never charge a fee to apply for a free car.
- Gift cards, wire transfers and crypto payments are always red flags.
- Check any charity with the IRS, Charity Navigator or Candid before sharing data.
Red flags
- Any fee to apply, “process,” ship, title or insure a free car.
- Requests to pay by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency or payment app.
- “Government free car” or “government car voucher” ads.
- Social media giveaways from “private individuals.”
- Requests for your bank login or full Social Security number up front.
Check a charity
Search the name plus “complaint,” “review” or “scam,” and check the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search, Charity Navigator or Candid. Report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Free Car Help never charges a fee to apply and will never ask you to pay by gift card or wire.
Common free car scams
- “Government free car” ads: there is no federal free car program. See the truth about the government car voucher program.
- Social media giveaways: fake profiles promise a car if you pay shipping or “title transfer” fees.
- “You won a car” messages: real prizes do not require upfront taxes or fees paid by gift card.
- Fake grant websites: sites collecting your Social Security number for a “car grant.”
- Fake charities collecting donated cars that keep almost all the money.
What to do if you were scammed
- Stop all payments and contact your bank or card issuer right away.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.
- If you shared your Social Security number, visit IdentityTheft.gov.
Free Car Help never charges applicants. Our application is always free.
Frequently asked questions
Do real charities charge fees for free cars?
No. Legitimate charities do not charge application, processing or shipping fees.
Is it a scam if someone asks for a shipping fee for a free car?
Almost always. Legitimate programs do not ship free cars for a fee.
