Is your charity vulnerable to fraud?

Being a charity does not exempt you from being vulnerable to fraud, it anything you are seen as easy pickings because the fraudsters know many charities operate with restricted resources. They are very much in the camp that charity starts at home – “Their home”.

The fraud awareness campaign is run jointly by the Charity Commission and Fraud Advisory panel (together with a coalition of sector Partners). Their aim is to encourage and empower charities to talk about fraud and share best practice. The 2020 campaign focuses on 3 simple messages:

• Be fraud aware
• Take time to check
• Keep your charity safe

Some useful resources have been prepared including the following webinars:

• COVID-19 and charity fraud – what to watch out for and how to stay safe
• Beyond COVID-19 – keeping your charity safe from fraud

The current crisis has meant many changes in our working practices and I would recommend that charities review their operating policies and controls to ensure that they are still fit for the current environment and whether they need updating. Specific attention should be paid to the controls in place and are they adequate to reduce the risk of fraud.

If you would like to discuss the topics explored in this article, do call us on 0330 124 1399, via our enquiry form or speak to your usual Kreston Reeves contact.