The national charity regulator is urging residents in Hume and Whittlesea to be generous but cautious before they donate to charity this festive season.
Australian Charities and Not-for-profits acting commissioner Deborah Jenkins said data breaches and fake charities are on the rise.
“Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been lost to fake charity scams so far this year according to data from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission,” she said.
“With cost-of-living pressures and the impacts of floods in many parts of the country, we all know many people need our support right now.
“We are generous and we turn to charities to provide help to people who are most in need.”
Ms Jenkins warned those wanting to donate to be cautious.
“Scammers prey on this season of generosity and goodwill, bombarding us by text, by email, on social media or calling us out of the blue,” she said.
“They pull at our heartstrings asking us to dig deep, wanting a snap decision.
“But it is important to stop and ask yourself – who are you giving your money to? Who are you giving your data to?”
Ms Jenkins said those wanting to donate should check the Australian charities and not-for-profits charity register which can be found on their website.
“Our charity register makes it simple to verify that an organisation is a registered charity,” she said.
“It instantly shows you details such as an organisation’s ABN, or if it is up to date with required reporting.
These are basic signs that a charity follows the rules – that it is accountable and transparent.”
Ms Jenkins said there are ways to avoid being scammed.
“We strongly recommend that rather than clicking on a link you were sent, it is better to go to a charity’s website,” she said.
“Follow the steps provided there to give as generously as you can.”
