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 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.
ENDS Notes to
editors
- The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial
government department that registers and regulates charities in
England and Wales. Its purpose is to ensure charity can thrive
and inspire trust so that people can improve lives and strengthen
society.
