Beware of fake charities
Added: October 2013
SCAMwatch and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) are reminding people to beware of scammers pretending to represent a charity or not-for-profit organisation.
How these scams work
- Fake charities operate in a number of different ways:
- You may be approached on the street or in your home by people collecting money.
- Some scammers may call you or email you with emails requesting donations.
- Scammers may also set up fake websites which look similar to those operated by real charities.
- Scammers may also play on your emotions, for example by claiming to help children who are ill.
- Fake charities occur all year round but are also created directly in response to disasters, such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes and bushfires.
Protect yourself
- Approach charity organisations directly to make a donation or offer support.
- If you are approached out of the blue by a collector:
- Ask to see their identification.
- Check the ACNC register to find out whether the charity is listed. To be registered as a charity and appear on the Register, organisations must meet the legal meaning of being a charity, and other requirements of the ACNC Act.
- Call the charity to verify that the person represents their organisation
- Don't rely on a phone number or website address given by the person who first called, visited or emailed you because they could be impersonating a legitimate charity.
- Never give out your personal, credit card or online account details unless you initiated contact and it is a trusted source.
- Don't open suspicious or unsolicited emails (spam)—delete them.
- Where possible, avoid any arrangement with a stranger who asks for up-front payment via money order, wire transfer or international funds transfer. It is rare to recover money sent this way.
- If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.
Report
If you think you've spotted a scam, report a scam to SCAMwatch or contact the ACCC on 1300 795 995. You should also spread the word to your friends and family to protect them.
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