Charity donation fraud

Unfortunately, fraudsters may take advantage of our generosity when giving to charity. They may claim to be raising money for a fake charity or impersonate a well-known charity.

Most fundraising appeals are genuine, so the risk of fraud should not put you off giving to charities. However, you should be vigilant and make sure you are giving safely to legitimate organisations.

Financial details: You may be asked to set-up monthly direct debits in order to make donations. Genuine charities would only ask for your bank account number and sort code. Don’t provide any PINs, banking passwords or 3-digit verification codes.

Charity register: Check whether fundraising materials are genuine. They should feature the charity’s name, registered number and a landline contact number. You can check if the charity is genuine by searching for them on the charity register https://www.gov.uk/find-charity-information.

Identification: Check whether street collectors are wearing a proper ID badge and that any collection tin is sealed and undamaged

If you have made a payment: Inform your bank as soon as possible, they can help you prevent any further losses. Monitor your bank statements regularly for any unusual activity.

Identity theft: If you have shared personal or financial information, and suspect your identity may have been stolen, you can check your credit file quickly and easily online. You should do this every few months anyway, using a reputable service provider and follow up on any unexpected or suspicious results. You can also sign up for Cifas services which can help to protect you against fraud.

You could be targeted again: Fraudsters sometimes re-establish contact with previous victims claiming that they can help them recover lost money, this is just a secondary scam. Hang up on any callers that claim they can get your money back for you.