Giving used clothing a second life feels like an act of charity – and it often is. But it has become more complicated.

A W5 investigation has uncovered allegations that organized crime actors are preying on legitimate charities to gain access to their surprisingly lucrative clothing donation bins.

Some of them, according to police reports and court records, might be willing to use violence against rivals to get money for their clothes.

At stake are tens of millions of dollars in clothing that can be resold, or in some cases exported to the international market.

How do you know if your clothes will support charity or potentially fuel organized crime?

1. Consider donating directly

Donate your clothes directly to people you know who are in need.

The lock is cut from an “unauthorized” bin in Markham, Ontario. The City of Markham removes and destroys trash cans without a permit on its territory. (November 2023 W5 Kirk Neff

Or take your reusable clothes to a local homeless or women’s shelter.

2. Check the charity

Check the bin for a 9-digit registered charity number with the Canada Revenue Agency. If there is a number, go to this site and search the CRA registry, making sure to click the drop-down menu and select “All” for status to see if it has been revoked or if there are other problems. Some charity numbers listed on bins are false or no longer active.

A trash can displaying the Canadian Community Support Foundation logo and CRA charity number. Be sure to check the information on the bin. A search of their name or charitable number on the CRA website (select “all” for status) will indicate that their charitable status has been revoked. (January 2024. W5 Joseph Loiero)

If a trash can doesn’t have a charity number at all, that’s a potential red flag.

3. Find out before you go

Some cities have actively cracked down on the seedier side of clothing donation bins, including Markham. This city has a comprehensive website with the locations of the trash cans and who is behind them.

Same with Diabetes Canada – they have a map of the country that can guide you to their bins.

4. Call the charity

Often, genuine charities will be happy to provide you with information about their activities over the phone or through annual reports. If a number on the bin doesn’t pass, or worse, doesn’t appear to exist, this could be cause for concern.

Call the number on the trash can. If the number is out of service, that’s another red flag.

5. Ask for action

In some cities, clothing donation bins are strictly regulated and these regulations are regularly enforced. In others, regulations are unenforced or non-existent, allowing anyone to dump trash anywhere. Communicating with your local representative can encourage action from regulators and curb dishonest actors.