Fraudulent letters targeting charities

Fraudulent letters targeting charities

The Charity Commission has issued a warning about fraudsters targeting charities with fake letters. These letters may request actions such as removing trustees or executives, releasing funds, or providing personal documents like passports or utility bills. They may appear to come from the Commission, its chief executive, or its directors.

It is important that your Church Council, as a charity, is aware of the risk of fraud.

Key points to note:

• The Commission usually contacts charities by email and only sends letters if no email address is available.

• Genuine letters from the Commission are franked, not stamped, and include case numbers or references.

• The Commission never asks for banking information or personal identity documents to authenticate accounts online.

• Serious allegations or naming individuals would not be detailed in a letter without clear evidence of wrongdoing.

If you receive a suspicious letter, please contact the Charity Commission to verify its authenticity. The Commission has reported these incidents to Action Fraud and will continue to monitor the situation.

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