The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) is tackling a fraud where organised gangs exploit door-to-door charity collection bags.
To help tackle the fraud, which is believed to be worth millions of pounds, the NFIB has established a special charity bag fraud unit.
What is charity bag fraud?
The fraud occurs when gangs post plastic bags through doors in residential areas, asking people to donate clothes and bric-a-brac to charity.
Organised gangs take advantage of peoples’ goodwill and pretend that the donated goods are used for charitable purposes. They go on to keep the goods, or the proceeds of the goods, for themselves. The money may be used to fund further serious organised criminality.
Legitimate charities also use charity bags as a fundraising method, so tackling the fraud involves distinguishing the legitimate charities from the fraudsters and ensuring charities do not suffer as a result of the fraud. The new NFIB unit is mapping a national picture of the nature and scale of charity bag fraud and will go on to work with charities to put a stop to the crime.
Read more about the charity bag fraud unit on the NFIB’s website.
Please note: Action Fraud is not responsible for the content on external websites.
To report a fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use our online fraud reporting tool.
See also:
Charity donation fraud
Beware of bogus charity collectors
'Bernhardos' charity scam