# Mobile donating > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mobile_donating > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mobile_donating.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_donating > Source revision: 1333437777 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Charitable donations through call or SMS}} {{Cleanup rewrite|date=July 2012}} '''Mobile donating''' refers to donating (to an organization) using a [mobile device](/source/mobile_device). Mobile donating is primarily done through an [SMS](/source/Short_Message_Service) or a [phone call](/source/Telephone_call). == Mobile donating process == '''Premium SMS donations''': Text messaging, or [SMS](/source/SMS), is the primary means of mobile donating. Mobile phone users can make donations by texting a keyword to a specific SMS [short code](/source/short_code). Keywords are determined by the fundraising organization, and usually pertain to the organization's cause or purpose. Donation amounts are predetermined, commonly at $5 or $10, and users often have a limit of how many [micro-donations](/source/micro-donations) they can send via sms to a single campaign in one month.{{cite web|url= http://mobileactive.org/mobile-fundraising|title= Texting for Charitable Dollars: The Definitive Guide to Mobile Fundraising|author= Jesse Feiler, ed.Katrin Verclas|date= February 4, 2010|publisher= MobileActive.org|access-date= April 24, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100420141952/http://mobileactive.org/mobile-fundraising|archive-date= April 20, 2010}} After donating, users receive a confirmation [text message](/source/text_message) and the donation amount is added to their monthly phone bill. Donations can take up to 90 days to be processed.{{cite web |url= http://gigaom.com/2010/01/14/haiti-text-donation-campaigns-face-90-day-delays/|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100116220353/http://gigaom.com/2010/01/14/haiti-text-donation-campaigns-face-90-day-delays/|url-status= dead|archive-date= January 16, 2010|title= Haiti Text Donation Campaigns Face 90-Day Delays|author= Liz Gannes|date=January 14, 2010|publisher= Gigaom|access-date=April 24, 2010}} '''WAP donations''': Mobile donating can also occur through a mobile [WAP](/source/Wireless_Application_Protocol) website. Cell phone users can access WAP donation pages by sending a specific text message to a designated keyword and receiving a link to the page in response, or by navigating to the page from a referring site. Upon reaching the WAP donation page, users are prompted to enter their cell phone numbers. Donations are confirmed with a text message sent to the donor's mobile phone, and the donation is added to the donor's monthly phone bill. == Mobile fundraising campaigns == In the 2008 Text 2HELP campaign, the [American Red Cross](/source/American_Red_Cross), in collaboration with the Wireless Foundation, has raised over US$190,000 through 38,091 text messages to provide relief for victims of natural disasters like [Hurricane Gustav](/source/Hurricane_Gustav) and [Hurricane Ike](/source/Hurricane_Ike).{{cite web|url=http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/messaging/2226.html|title=Red Cross attracts $190K in pledges via Text 2HELP program|last=Khan|first=Mickey Alam|date=2008-12-04|publisher=[Mobile Marketer](/source/Mobile_Marketer)|access-date=2010-01-28}} In South Africa, [Nelson Mandela](/source/Nelson_Mandela)'s charity raised $85,000 USD in July 2008 with the cooperation of Zain, a South African mobile operator, using Mandela's 90th birthday as the 'call to give'; well-wishers from around the world could text in a birthday wish and make a donation at the same time.{{cite web |url= http://www.socialbrite.org/2009/02/23/how-does-mobile-giving-work/|title= How does mobile giving work? |author= Katrin Verclas|date=February 23, 2009|publisher= MobileActive.org|access-date=April 24, 2010}} The hitherto most successful mobile donating campaign has been organized in support of the relief efforts for the [2010 Haiti earthquake](/source/2010_Haiti_earthquake). The American Red Cross has raised over $32 million within one month after the disaster, and has demonstrated the unprecedented potential for small text-message donations.{{cite web |date=February 11, 2010 |title=Red Cross Raises More than $32 Million via Mobile Giving Program |url=http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.94aae335470e233f6cf911df43181aa0/?vgnextoid=43ffe0b8da8b6210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110308061554/http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.94aae335470e233f6cf911df43181aa0/?vgnextoid=43ffe0b8da8b6210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD |archive-date=2011-03-08 |access-date=April 24, 2010 |publisher=American Red Cross}} == Drawbacks to mobile giving == Mobile giving can be a convenient way to donate to charity, but charity watchdog group the [American Institute of Philanthropy](/source/American_Institute_of_Philanthropy) has warned that there are some pitfalls to cell phone giving, including concerns that service providers may charge fees or take a cut of the donations. AIP also warns that it can take as long as 120 days for a charity to actually receive a text donation and that wireless carriers may limit the number of times per month a user can donate via text.{{Cite web|url=https://www.charitywatch.org/home|title=Charity Ratings {{!}} America's Most Independent, Assertive Charity Watchdog {{!}} CharityWatch|website=www.charitywatch.org|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-07}} The watchdog group cautions, "A charity will generally receive your donation faster if you mail a check or donate directly to the charity online using its secure web site." Scammers may also take advantage of natural disasters by posing as legitimate charities.{{Cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/tech/as-world-looks-to-help-haiti-scammers-sit-poised/ |title=As World Looks to Help Haiti, Scammers Sit Poised |first=Jeremy A. |last=Kaplan |date=January 16, 2010 |work=[Fox News](/source/Fox_News)}} ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Mobile phones}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Mobile Donating}} Category:Telecommunication services Category:Donation --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mobile donating](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_donating) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_donating?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.