Charity scams operate in a number of different ways. You may be approached on the street or in your home by people collecting money who are pretending to be from a legitimate charity. Scammers may also set up false websites which look similar to those operated by real charities. Some scammers will also approach you by telephone or with spam emails requesting donations.
Not only do these scams cost people money, they also divert much needed donations away from legitimate charities and causes.
Be aware of flood-related scams and arm yourself against these by identifying what's real and what's a scam, the following tips will help you:
- 1. Never give away your personal banking details.
- 2. Don't give money up front to people offering repairs or other services and always ask to see their licence and registration details.
- 3. Only donate money via reputable channels, such as those listed at www.charities.sa.gov.au and known charities.
- 4. Be wary of people collecting money without any official accreditation or those impersonating tradespeople and other service providers.
Related information
- Australian Government's SCAMwatch advice on how to donate wisely and avoid fake charity websites.
- For licensed charities in South Australia go to charities.sa.gov.au.
- See our, Scam Alert page for further information.
Note: To collect donations in South Australia for Charitable Purposes you must be licensed appropriately under the Collections for Charitable Purposes Act 1939. See, Collections for Charitable Purposes Licence on the Office of Liquor and Gambling Commissioner (OLGC) website for further information. OLGC can be also be contacted by email at olgc@agd.sa.gov.au or by calling (08) 8226 8500.
Crisis factsheet: Fundraising scams ( 174 KB PDF File )
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Information on copyright for the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs website is provided on behalf of South Australia Central http://www.sacentral.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=60
Disclaimer
Information on the disclaimer for the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs website is provided on behalf of South Australia Central http://www.sacentral.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=61
Privacy
The South Australian Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (OCBA) is committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information, consistent with the South Australian Government's Information Privacy Principles. If you would like to view the full privacy statement please visit: http://www.ocba.sa.gov.au/privacy.html
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