Charity & Disaster Scams

Fraudulent 'charities' with convincing names and websites that collect donations and pass nothing to any genuine cause.

Fraudulent appeals exploiting floods, earthquakes, conflicts, and other crises to divert emergency donations away from genuine relief efforts.

Fraudulent campaigns on legitimate fundraising platforms that fabricate personal hardship stories to collect donations for non-existent causes.

Bogus organisations claiming to support military veterans or their families that pocket donated funds rather than delivering any services.

Fraudulent organisations claiming to rescue, rehome, or protect animals that collect donations or rehoming fees without ever helping any animal.

Fraudulent appeals exploiting religious faith and community trust to solicit donations for fake missions, churches, or humanitarian work.

Fraudulent organisations that use images and stories of children in need to solicit donations that never reach any child welfare cause.

Bogus collectors who visit homes with fake ID badges and collection materials to solicit cash donations for non-existent charities.

Fraudulent crowdfunding campaigns that fabricate or grossly exaggerate serious medical conditions to collect donations from compassionate supporters.

Fraudulent religious leaders and fake ministries that exploit tithing obligations and faith-based generosity to collect money for personal gain rather than any genuine religious or charitable purpose.

Fraudulent text messages and app-based appeals that impersonate legitimate disaster relief organisations to divert emergency donations seconds after a crisis makes headlines.

Fraudulent overseas volunteering organisations that charge placement or programme fees for positions that do not exist or for experiences grossly misrepresented from reality.

Fraudulent organisations and individuals impersonating charitable foundations or grant-making bodies to collect upfront fees from people falsely told they have been awarded funding.

Fraudulent lottery or prize draw schemes that falsely claim a charitable purpose, collecting ticket payments that are not applied to any genuine cause and often never running a legitimate prize draw.

Fraudulent social media fundraising campaigns created within hours of a disaster, impersonating affected communities or relief organisations to collect donations that reach no victims.

Fraudulent door-to-door or street collections that use religious imagery and charitable language to solicit cash donations that reach no genuine faith organisation or cause.

Fraudulent organisations claiming to train guide dogs, assistance animals, or working dogs that collect donations without funding any genuine animal welfare or training programme.

Fraudulent fundraising campaigns presenting a fabricated or exaggerated medical case to solicit donations that never reach any patient or treatment.

Fraudulent organisations using military or veterans' imagery to collect donations that never reach serving personnel, veterans, or their families.

Fraudulent campaigns using powerful wildlife and environmental imagery to collect donations that reach no conservation project, animal welfare programme, or environmental cause.

Fundraising committees and fake campaign appeals raise political donations that never reach any candidate or cause — the money cycles into the operators' own fundraising vendors and pockets.