Charity Commission’s new donate with confidence site will help donations reach intended good causes
Ramadan is a time of generosity and charitable giving amongst 3.9 million British Muslims, and it is vital that donations reach their intended good cause.
Most fundraising is genuine, however fraudsters and criminals sometimes take advantage of people’s generosity at times of increased giving, such as Ramadan, using methods such as fake appeal websites, email appeals that falsely use the name of genuine charities, or appeals from fake charities.
Information on how to give to charity safely can be found online at the Charity Commission’s new ‘donate with confidence’ campaign site, (https://donatewithconfidence.campaign.gov.uk) along with how to find out more information about a charity using the Charity Register. This includes checking a charity is registered, understanding its charitable purpose and seeing how funds are spent.
To make sure donations reach the intended cause, the Charity Commission has a few simple checks people can take:
- Check the charity’s name and registration number on the Charity Register at www.gov.uk/checkcharity – most charities with an annual income of £5,000 or more must be registered.
- Make sure the charity is genuine before giving any financial information.
- Be careful when responding to emails or clicking on links within them.
- Contact or find out more online about the charity to understand how it is spending funds
- Look out for the Fundraising Badge – the logo that says ‘registered with Fundraising Regulator’ – and check the Fundraising Regulator’s Directory of organisations committed to the Code of Fundraising Practice.
- A face-to-face collector should have a licence from the relevant Local Authority Licensing team or the Metropolitan Police (in Greater London).
If after making these checks anyone thinks a collection or appeal is not legitimate, they can report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online.
Helen Stephenson, CEO of the Charity Commission, said:
“Charitable donations during Ramadan will be a lifeline for the millions in need across the globe. But sadly, fraudsters are all too aware of this and can take advantage of this time of increased charitable giving.
“That’s why we urge everyone to follow our simple steps to check that their money is going where they think it is. Donating to a registered charity is a good way to feel confident of that.”
Gerald Oppenheim, CEO of the Fundraising Regulator said:
"The generous donations made by the British Muslim community during Ramadan generates huge levels of valuable support for work on good causes both at home and overseas. However, there are sadly those who may wish to take advantage of this generosity.
“Therefore, we encourage those wishing to give during this time to carry out a few simple checks to help make sure the cause being donated to is genuine and that this valuable support reaches those it is intended for."
Fadi Itani OBE, CEO of Muslim Charities Forum, said:
"The UK Muslim community is very generous and our research shows that despite the cost-of-living crisis, they intend to give the same amount or more to various crises around the world and right here in the UK.
“Unfortunately, due to this willingness to give, there are illegitimate requests for money each year or those which are financially unsafe. To protect their donations, it's important for donors to stay aware, check for regulated charities and secure donation methods. This will help ensure their funds reach those who are suffering and make a difference in improving their lives. "