Charity Fraud Awareness Week is an annual campaign that raises awareness of the threat of
fraud and cybercrime. This year’s Charity Fraud Awareness Week runs from 17-21 October.
We are supporting the campaign by providing a few tips to help you protect your
organisation.
The UK economy is struggling, and the cost-of-living crisis means everyone is tightening their
belts. These are challenging times, and the last thing you need is for your charity to become
a victim of fraud.
In a recent press release published by GOV.UK, Amie McWilliam-Reynolds, Assistant
Director of Intelligence and Tasking at the Charity Commission, said:
“Online financial transactions and the collection and storage of personal data also
harbour risk, and we are concerned that some charities may be underestimating that
risk and are therefore exposing their charity to potential fraud.
“We hope that projects like Charity Fraud Awareness Week help raise awareness
among trustees and charity staff of the risks they may face, and of the advice and
guidance available to support them in protecting their charity from fraud.”
Quoted in the same press release, Sir David Green from the Fraud Advisory Panel said:
“It is essential that charities take the security of their systems, information, people
and money seriously. Simple cyber security measures can make a big difference
which is why we’ve collaborated with UK police forces to offer a series of free cyber-
security focussed events during this year’s awareness week.”
However, charity fraud takes many forms, including employees or even volunteers stealing
from organisations. Fraud committed internally can damage your organisation’s reputation.
Here are five simple steps to help protect your charity from fraudsters:
1. Carry out a fraud risk assessment
2. Implement a fraud awareness training programme for your staff
3. Create strong computer passwords with two-factor authentication and update them
regularly
4. Make back-ups of your data using the cloud
5. Ensure you have the latest antivirus software installed on computers
Having a fraud response plan and being seen to take swift action to deal with incidents of
fraud builds public trust and confidence in your charity. It sends a clear message to the
public and funders that you take fraud seriously and will deal with it appropriately.
We are committed to helping you to protect your charity against fraud and cybercrime. Find
out about Charity Fraud Awareness Week events, and access a range of resources, such as
on-demand webinars, by visiting preventcharityfraud.org.uk.
We have more tips for charities in our Whitepaper section.
