Over the festive period last year, almost £350,000 of charitable donations ended up in the pockets of criminals. Action Fraud and charity regulators have joined forces to help people in North Norfolk ensure they give to genuine registered charities this Christmas.
Action Fraud, the Charity Commission, and the Fundraising Regulator have warned that whilst the vast majority of fundraising appeals and collections are genuine, criminals can set up fake charities or even impersonate well-known charitable organisations in order to deceive victims. By giving to a registered, regulated charity this Christmas, you can have assurance your donation will be accounted for in line with charity law.
To find out which charities are operating in North Norfolk, please visit the Charity Commission's improved Register of Charities.
To keep yourself safe and enjoy a #FraudFreeXmas, follow these simple steps:
- make sure the charity is genuine before giving any financial information. Look for the registered charity number on their website. You can check the charity name and registration number at www.gov.uk/checkcharity
- you can also check if a charity is registered with the Fundraising Regulator. All charities registered here have made a commitment to good fundraising practice
- if you’re approached by a collector on the street or at your door, ask to see the collector’s ID badge. You can also check whether the collector has a licence to fundraise with the local authority, or has the consent of the private site owner
- don’t click on the links or attachments in suspicious emails, and never respond to unsolicited messages and phone calls that ask for your personal or financial details – even if it’s in the name of a charity
- to donate online, type in the address of the charity website yourself rather than clicking on a link. If in any doubt, contact the charity directly about donating
- be cautious when donating to an online fundraising page. Fake fundraising pages will often be badly written or have spelling mistakes. When donating to an online fundraising page, only donate to fundraising pages created by someone you know and trust
After making these checks, if you think that a fundraising appeal or collection is fake, report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.
Duncan Baker said:
Throughout this year, we've seen the most amazing generosity and community spirit at work throughout North Norfolk, with many donating time, goods, and money to support the most vulnerable and those in need. I'd like to encourage everyone who is donating this Christmas to do so safely and to be vigilant against charity scams. Together, we can continue to make sure what we donate reaches those who really need it.
