# Charities warned of new Gift Aid scam to empty their bank accounts

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/02/24/charities-warned-new-gift-aid-scam-empty-their-bank-accounts/
- Published: 2005-02-24T00:00:00+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The Charity Commission is warning charities about a new scam in which thieves use
charities’ bank account details on Gift Aid forms to take money out of charities’
bank accounts.
The Charity Commission has warned that fraudsters are trying to obtain
charities’ bank account details from Gift Aid forms and using this information to
set up standing orders, taking funds away from charities and into the fraudsters’
accounts.

Sign, the National Society for Mental Health and Deafness, uncovered the scam when
it spotted two new standing orders adding up to hundreds of pounds set up on the
charity’s account. It immediately contacted its bank and stopped the standing orders
before any money was lost.

The Commission is urging all charities be equally vigilant in checking their bank
statements for rogue payments. It also suggests considering using deposit-only accounts
for charitable donations.

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

Almost any charity could be vulnerable since many charities make their bank account
details public on their websites, in annual reports or on printed donation forms.

On a related theme of fighting fraud, UK Fundraising would recommend that charities
avoid publishing officers’ actual signatures on direct mail appeals and other documents.
Instead it is safer to use a different signature or perhaps even a signature or 
handwriting typeface.

Steve Powell, Chief Executive at Sign, said: “It’s a sad fact of modern times that
charities have to constantly fight against clever con artists. We all have a duty
to be aware of the forms these scams can take and to take steps to protect charitable
funds.”

Andrew Hind, Chief Executive at the Commission, said: “This is a particularly worrying
scam because it requires no contact with the charity. In turn, this leaves charities
with no opportunity to become suspicious.”

 * **[Inland Revenue speaker at Fisk Brett Gift Aid seminars](https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/03/01/inland-revenue-speaker-fisk-brett-gift-aid-seminars/)**(
   1 March 2005)
 * **[Charity Commission issues revised SORP for charity accounts and reports](https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/03/04/charity-commission-issues-revised-sorp-charity-accounts-and-reports/)**(
   4 March 2005)
 * **[CFDG welcomes publication of SORP 2005](https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/03/04/cfdg-welcomes-publication-sorp-2005/)**(
   4 March 2005)