Charity Commission warns of possible Pakistan appeal scams
Howard Lake | 6 August 2010 | News
Concerned at the likelihood of fraudulent fundraising appeals in the wake of the Pakistan flood disaster, the Charity Commission has published advice for people who want to support those affected by donating or fundraising for a genuine charity.
The Commission has come across scams in previous emergency appeals, including the Haiti earthquake of January 2010. Many of them are online, in the shape of fictitious appeal websites, email appeals that falsely use the name of genuine charities, or appeals from fictitious charities.
The Commission is urging the public to continue giving but to be vigilant. For those who wish to make a donation, it advises:
* Be careful when responding to emails or clicking links within them to ensure that they are genuine. If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of a request for donations that appears to come from a charity, don’t hesitate to contact that charity directly.
* If you are in any doubt about a charity collector, ask for their identification and the charity’s name and registration number. If you are not happy about giving then and there, you can check to see if the charity is on the public register of charities on the Commission’s website – www.charitycommission.gov.uk.
* If you are concerned that you may have been targeted by a fundraising scam, you should report this to the police. You should also contact the Charity Commission on 0845 300 0218 or via the website – www.charitycommission.gov.uk.
* If you want to donate online to a particular charity, visit the charity’s website.
* Think about how you are going to give. If you are a UK taxpayer and donate directly to a charity – whether online, over the phone, by post or by handing in a cheque at the charity’s office or shop – it can claim Gift Aid to maximise your donation.
The Commission also reminded the public that there are laws around collecting money for charity in public which are there to protect donors and make sure that the money raised goes to a genuine charitable cause. It therefore issued the following advice for those wishing to fundraise for those affected by the Pakistan floods:
* Secure the necessary permission from your local authority or the Metropolitan Police if you live in a London borough.
* Only collect using a sealed tin or container.
* Always make sure you state the name and registration number of the charity you are collecting for.
* Always make sure there is more than one person to count the collection proceeds and sign off the total amount
* Bank any cash as soon as possible, preferably straight into the charity account. Get a receipt from the Bank/Building Society.
* Report back to your community so they are reassured that the money has reached the good cause. You may wish to put notices in shops/post offices, or let your local paper know how much you raised and thank people for their support.
www.charitycommission.gov.uk
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.