Charity Scam UK: Spot a Fake Donation Appeal
Dishonest people impersonate real charities to steal your donations. Here's how to give safely.
What a charity scam looks like
A charity scam impersonates a real charity, or invents a fake one, to collect donations that never reach the cause — often around a disaster, appeal, or emotional story. An example of the style is: Urgent appeal: help flood victims today. Donate now by bank transfer to secure your contribution before midnight: floodreliefuk.example.
Scams can appear as street or doorstep collectors, phone calls, texts, emails, or social-media posts. This guide shows the warning signs, how to check a charity is genuine, and what to do if you have already donated to a fake one.
Why these scams are convincing
Emotional appeals around disasters, illness, or vulnerable people override the caution people would normally apply, and a scammer can copy a real charity's name, logo, and branding closely. Urgency — "donate before midnight" — pushes people to give without checking.
The fact that protects you: registered charities can be checked independently, but the correct register depends on where the charity is registered. England and Wales use the Charity Commission register, Scotland uses OSCR, and Northern Ireland uses CCNI. If an appeal gives a registration number, verify that the name, number, and cause match before giving.
Signs a charity appeal is a scam
- It pressures you to donate immediately, especially by bank transfer or gift card.
- It cannot give a charity registration number, or the number does not match on the official register.
- A street or doorstep collector has no visible ID badge or genuine collection tin.
- The appeal arrived by unsolicited text, email, or social-media message.
- The charity name is very similar to, but not exactly, a well-known charity's name.
- You are asked for bank or card details over the phone in an unsolicited call.
- The appeal follows shortly after a major disaster, before established charities have organised a formal response.
How the scam works
First, a call, text, email, collector, or social-media post makes an emotional appeal, often tied to a recent disaster or cause. Second, urgency and emotion push you to give quickly. Third, you donate by bank transfer, card, or cash to an account or collector that is not a genuine registered charity. Finally, the money never reaches any cause, and the collector or contact disappears.
Checking the charity's registration independently before donating breaks the chain.
How to donate safely
Take a moment to check before you give.
- Check the charity's registration number on the Charity Commission register, OSCR, or CCNI, depending on where it claims to be registered.
- Ask a street or doorstep collector for their ID badge and a genuine, sealed collection tin.
- Donate directly through the charity's own website, which you reach by typing the address yourself, rather than a link in a message.
- Be wary of any request to donate by bank transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency.
- Give directly to well-known, established charities if you are ever unsure about a lesser-known appeal.
If you are unsure whether a linked site is genuine, our guide on Is This Website a Scam? A Practical Checklist Before You Buy helps, and our Advance Fee Scam UK: How to Spot and Stop Upfront Payment Frauds guide covers other pressure-based scam patterns.
If you have already donated to a fake charity
If you paid by card, contact your bank or card issuer using the number on your card and ask about disputing the payment or a chargeback. If you sent money by UK bank transfer on or after 7 October 2024, mandatory APP fraud reimbursement rules may apply to Faster Payments and CHAPS transfers. The PSR rules include a 13-month claim window, a maximum claim amount of £85,000, possible exclusions, and a possible excess of up to £100. Report it to your bank as soon as possible.
If you shared identity or bank details, consider Cifas Protective Registration at cifas.org.uk and monitor your credit reports with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Report the charity name, any collector details, and payment records as evidence — this can help stop others being targeted.
How to report a charity scam (UK)
Report a suspected fake or fraudulent charity to the Charity Commission for England and Wales, OSCR in Scotland, or CCNI in Northern Ireland, depending on the charity or appeal. If the scam reached you by email, forward it to the NCSC at report@phishing.gov.uk; if by text, forward it to 7726.
If you lost money, report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 if you are in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101. Keep all your evidence, including the charity name and any collector or contact details.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check if a charity collector is genuine?
Ask to see their ID badge and check the charity's registration number on the appropriate official register independently, rather than trusting a badge or tin alone.
A text or email asks me to donate to a disaster appeal urgently — is that safe?
Be cautious, especially if it pressures you to act immediately or pay by bank transfer. Donate directly through a well-known charity's own website, typed in yourself, rather than a link in the message.
Is it safe to give cash to a street collector?
Only if they can show genuine ID and a sealed, official collection tin. If in doubt, decline and donate directly through the charity's official website instead.
I've donated to what turned out to be a fake charity — can I get my money back?
Possibly. If you paid by card, ask your bank about a chargeback. Eligible UK transfers since 7 October 2024 may fall under APP reimbursement rules, subject to limits and exclusions. Report it to help protect others.
How do I report a fake charity?
Report it to the relevant charity regulator: the Charity Commission for England and Wales, OSCR in Scotland, or CCNI in Northern Ireland. Forward scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk and scam texts to 7726. If you lost money, report it to Report Fraud in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland on 101 in Scotland.