There have been a number of bogus calls on houses in the Carshalton Beeches area from two youths collecting money for an African charity. They have been then changing the coins they have collected into notes at the local Post Office and then pocketing the money.
Be very wary of anyone collecting money door to door.
Police advice includes:
- genuine fundraising materials should feature the charity's name, registered name and a landline contact number. Be wary of those that list only a mobile number
- before making a donation or accepting a collection tin, check the charity's name and registration number on the online Register of Charities www.gov.uk/charity-commission (click on Find Charities)
- genuine charity collectors should be wearing an ID badge, have a sealed container and be able to produce a valid local authority or police licence
- if in doubt, ask the collector for more information. A genuine fundraiser will always be happy to answer questions and explain more about the work of the charity.
If you are concerned that you may have been targeted by a fundraising scam, you should report this to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visit: www.actionfraud.police.uk
