Tigger Club News
By Animals - For Animals
news@tigger.club

 


Sham Animal Welfare Charities
Increase in fraudulent social media appeals

As social media and emails are rapidly becoming the main source of communication unfortunately it is becoming an easier target for fraudsters.
It is not only charities but also individuals that use this type of 'money collection'.
Now before you all start jumping on your keyboards and contacting me, you need to read all of this article.
My aim is ensure everyone's hard earned cash they choose to donate, is directed towards genuine charities/individuals where animal(s) actually get the help they need.

Requests for money may involve a tragic story about an animal, some even have upsetting pictures to make the request more believable.
They use a variety of tactics to gain access to your money.
One tactic is to do a social media campaign and wait for the unsuspecting public to send money.
Another more involved tactic is to send out emails requesting money or even thanking you for your donation/order.
Individuals may have a personal appeal and I am not saying they are all fraudsters, I am saying just be careful and aware.

The key thing with the email is to NOT click on the attached document. This document will have a virus or Trojan that will attempt to get details from you, mostly to get your bank details.
In most cases the emails thanking you for your donation are merely a tactic to get you to click on the document before you have time to think.
If you ever get an email thanking you for your donation/order then check with your bank directly if you need peace of mind. Don't forget your bank can check on transactions that are still pending so you will be told if any activity has occurred on your account.
Always be careful of any emails with documents attached or links for you to click on, even if they appear to be from your friends.

What can you do to protect yourselves?
Genuine charities will have their charity number displayed on their website/blog page/facebook page/other advertising.
They will not mind being asked questions as they will be aware these fraudsters are not only taking potential donations from their animals in need, but also damaging real charities reputations.
Individuals asking for money for their pet, if you do not personally know the individual then ask for the contact details of the vet dealing with the animal and donate directly to the vet.

Always be sure who you are about to give money to. There is a government page where you can check that charities are genuine.
http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/AdvancedSearch.aspx

Stay safe out there furpals