Families warned over bogus charities

FAMILIES have been warned to be on their guard for unregistered charities operating house-to-house collections, following a surge in reported cases in the first half of this year.

The Charities Regulator said the number of reports so far this year from the public about donation appeals from unregistered groups is nearly double the number of concerns raised for the whole of 2017.

Since January, there have been 50 reports from homeowners about door-to-door collections from organisations that aren’t registered, compared to 30 in total in 2017.

Items that are being targeted through the bogus leaflet and bag drops include clothes, shoes and other recyled goods. Recycled clothes, particularly cotton garments, are understood to fetch up to €8 per kilo in some eastern European countries.

The Charities Regulator warned members of the public to double-check that the leaflets and bags that are dropped in their homes are from genuine registered groups.

A spokesperson for the Charities Regulator said: ‘The 50 concerns received so far this year about house-to-house clothing collections compares to just 30 for all of 2017. It is not possible to say that this means there has been an increase in this type of activity – but may reflect a greater awareness of the Charities Regulator and its role.’

Anyone who suspects that an organisation is not a registered charity should contact the Charities Regulator on 01-6331550, or check out www.charitiesregulator.ie.