Neil Hamilton, MS for Mid & West Wales, and Leader of UKIP Wales is urging his constituents to have a fraud free Christmas.
Mr Hamilton, a member of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs committee, has joined charity regulators and Action Fraud to warn people in his Region to make sure they give only to genuine registered charities this Christmas.
He said: “I was shocked to hear about the amount of money, donated over the festive period last year, which did not end up with genuine charities. Figures from the national fraud reporting centre show that almost £350,000 of charitable donations ended up in the pockets of criminals.
“I would like to encourage all my constituents to take the necessary steps to make sure their donations go to registered charities and for them to be ultra-vigilant against ‘charity’ scams.
“It is heartening to see the generous community spirit demonstrated by people across Mid & West Wales during these recent difficult months. Thousands have been looking out for vulnerable neighbours and friends and helping where they can.
” Don’t spoil all the good work that has been done by donating, albeit unwittingly, to fraudsters and conmen.”
Action Fraud, the Charity Commission, and the Fundraising Regulator, have warned that while the vast majority of fundraising appeals and collections are genuine, criminals can set up fake charities, or even impersonate well-known charitable organisations, to deceive victims.
By giving to a registered, regulated charity this Christmas, people in Mid & West Wales can be assured their funds will be accounted for in line with charity law.
Pauline Smith, Head of Action Fraud, said: “We would encourage people not to be put off donating to charities, but instead to be vigilant. Make sure you do your research and follow our simple steps to ensure you’re giving your money to a legitimate charity. Don’t let your donations end up in the wrong hands this Christmas.”
Helen Stephenson CBE, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said: “Christmas is always a time of generous charitable giving, and that’s to be celebrated. This year it comes as charities face immense financial strain after heroic efforts to support some of society’s most vulnerable people through the pandemic.
“This means it’s more important than ever to ensure that when we reach into our pockets, our festive contributions don’t go astray. That’s why we’re urging everyone to give with their head as well as their heart and check before they give.”
Previous research from the Charity Commission and the Fundraising Regulator revealed that less than half of people that give to charity usually make checks before donating.
Action Fraud, the Charity Commission and the Fundraising Regulator are therefore urging the public to follow some simple steps to ensure they have a #FraudFreeXmas this year.
Take the following steps to make sure your donations go to the right place:
- 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 https://www.gov.uk/find-charity-information.
- 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: https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/directory.
- 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 at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
