People wanting to contribute to the Victorian bushfire appeals have been put on alert to ensure they are not taken in by scammers.
"In the past, such as during the 2003 Canberra bushfires and the December 26 2004 Asian tsunami, scammers took advantage of people's generosity and kindness," Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, said today.
"These involved a scammer collecting money by pretending to be a real charity. Not only do these scams cost people money, they also divert much needed donations away from legitimate charities and causes.
"The scammers can approach people in the street, by knocking on the door, telephoning, sending spam emails or creating false charity sites on the internet. Always ask for identification, though be aware id may be forged or meaningless.
"The warning signs include:
the charity is not known or is well-known but the scam is operating via a fake website, letters or emails
the collector tries to use pressure to elicit a 'donation'
the collector cannot or will not give you details about the charity, such as its full name, address or phone number
the collector becomes defensive over questions about what the charity does and how much of the donation gets taken up by costs
the collector asks for cash, won't accept a cheque or asks for any cheque to be made out to them; online collectors will insist on cash money transfers
the collector doesn't want to provide a receipt or the receipt does not have the charity's details on it.
"In recent years, scammers have hit the internet to solicit funds. During the Canberra bushfire recovery, a hoax email was circulated in which it was claimed a British man living in Dubai had a dying wish to give $15 million to the victims of the Canberra bushfires. In this case, there was a claim that if the email recipient helped him distribute it, they could keep five per cent, or $750,000, plus expenses.
"Don't open suspicious or unsolicited emails (spam): delete them.
"In the past, websites have been created that replicate all the details of reputable charities – with the exception of where the money is sent. Scammers usually insist on cash money transfers."
Mr Samuel said people should use common sense and never send money, or give credit card or online account details to anyone who is not known and trusted.
"If you are unsure, remember legitimate charities are registered at the state or territory level and their details can be checked through the local fair trading agency. If the charity is genuine, contact details are available from the phone book or a trusted web site.
"Don't rely on any phone number or website address given by the person who first called, visited or emailed you because they could be impersonating a legitimate charity. When you contact the charity, check to see if they have any fundraising campaigns taking place in your area. Also, warn your friends, family, colleagues and neighbours about the scammer.
People who believe they have been approached by someone impersonating a legitimate charity or by a fake charity, can report a scam
