Charity fraud can have a significant impact on individuals, both financially and emotionally. When people donate to fake charities, they lose hard-earned money that could have been used to support legitimate causes or personal needs.
Beyond the financial impact, charity fraud can also erode trust in the charitable sector. When individuals are deceived by fraudulent appeals, they may become disillusioned and less likely to donate to legitimate charities in the future. This can hinder the ability of genuine charitable organizations to raise funds and provide vital services to those in need.
As a donor, and as an organisation, you can join the Give Smart Give Safe campaign,
By educating yourself and others and raising awareness, you can help to ensure that donations are received and used by only legitimate charities for legitimate causes. With so many urgent situations across the world, it can be easy to give in faith and with emotion but without being careful. In times of crisis, fraudsters can increase their activity, relying on community sympathy to gather funds.
We are working to spread awareness of giving smartly to stop charity fraud and to protect donors and their donations. Our Give Smart Give Safe guide is available for download, as well as our handy checklist in several languages.
Each year we promote the campaign and this year, we will be working with several organisations to ensure as many people as possible are made aware and protected. Crucially, we want to support effective charities and ensure that they can continue doing great work saving and changing lives for the better.
From Palestine, to Sudan, to Bangladesh, Syria and beyond, including right here in the UK, millions of vulnerable people rely on humanitarian aid to survive and it’s crucial that they receive the support from your donations that they need.
When you are approached for a donation, remember to stop and ask:
- * Is the charity registered? Do they have a charity registration number?
- * Can I verify or see the impact they are making? Can I be sure the money is going to the cause?
- * Is the way I am being asked to donate secure?
By asking these 3 simple questions, you can feel secure that your donation will be used effectively and ethically. You can also help to drastically reduce the likelihood of being a victim of identity theft, phishing or even de-risking by your bank.
Be Smart. Give Smart and Give Safe.
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