People donate huge amounts to charities, to ensure charity work continues in the country. It has been estimated that almost £350,000 of charitable donations last year ended up in the pockets of criminals.
Government recently issued advice to reduce this activity. They said:
The vast majority of fundraising appeals and collections are genuine, however criminals can set up fake charities, or even impersonate well-known charitable organisations, to deceive victims.
https://www.apexaccountants.tax/hmrc-investigation/
Action Fraud has teamed up with the Charity Commission, the regulator and registrars of charities, and the Fundraising Regulator, the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to help the public make sure their donations go to the right place this Christmas.
Clearly, this bogus activity represents just a small proportion of overall donations made to reputable charities, but donors should be wary. Further advice to donors included in their press release says:
After making these checks, if you think that a fundraising appeal or collection is fake, report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.
If you need any further advice feel free to contact us.