The Charity Commission has recently issued a warning about fraudulent letters being sent to charities and their trustees, impersonating the Commission to deceive recipients.
These deceptive communications often request actions such as:
- Removing a trustee or chief executive from their position.
- Releasing funds as part of a supposed grant.
- Supplying sensitive documents like passports or utility bills.
The letters may be signed as coming from ‘the Commission,’ it’s Chief Executive Officer, or its Directors.
To help identify genuine correspondence from the Charity Commission, consider the following guidelines:
- Mode of Communication: The Commission will only send letters by post if they do not have your current email address. It’s advisable to check and update your contact details to ensure accurate communication.
- Addressing: Authentic letters are rarely addressed generically (e.g., ‘to whom it may concern’).
- Certification Requests: The Commission does not issue letters or emails of certification on behalf of UK charities regarding tax exemption or other matters.
- Personal Information: They will not ask you to authenticate an account online by supplying personal identity documents or banking information.
When receiving letters by post from the Charity Commission, note that they will:
- Be franked, not stamped.
- Typically include a case number or reference.
- Unlikely be marked as ‘Strictly Private and Confidential’.
- Come from the Charity Commission of ‘England and Wales’, not the ‘UK’ or ‘England’.
Serious allegations against individuals are unlikely to be detailed in a letter, nor would individuals be named without clear evidence of wrongdoing. Matters related to casework or investigations would usually come from a specific caseworker or team at the Commission.
If you receive suspicious correspondence, verify its authenticity by contacting the Charity Commission directly. Reporting such incidents to Action Fraud helps in monitoring and addressing these fraudulent activities.
By staying vigilant and informed, charities can protect themselves from potential fraud and continue their vital work without disruption.