Warning over earthquake donation scammers

Beware scammers when donating money to help the response to the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, experts are urging. 

Thousands of generous people across the UK are looking to support the international aid efforts to help families in the wake of the devastating earthquakes earlier this month. 

But scammers are preying on people’s kindness by purporting to be official charities, but, in fact, taking donations for themselves. 

Online safety expert Get Safe Online is anticipating a flood of fraudulent emails, social media posts and websites pleading for donations for relief efforts or claiming to have ‘exclusive’ video of the disaster area. 

Similar scams emerged following the Nepalese earthquake, Pakistan floods and hurricanes Katrina and Rita and, more recently, the war in Ukraine.

Tony Neate, chief executive of Get Safe Online, says: ‘It never fails to amaze and disgust me that whenever there is a tragedy, cybercriminals use it as an opportunity to defraud people into parting with their well-earned money. 

‘We want to warn the public of these anticipated scams, so they can make sure their cash is donated to those who desperately need it, and not a fraudster.’

The Charity Commission for England and Wales and the Fundraising Regulator are urging people to ensure charities are genuine before donating. 

You can check a charity is legitimate by looking up its name and registration number on the Charity Register at the website gov.uk/checkcharity. You can visit the official Disasters Emergency Committee appeal at dec.org.uk/appeal/turkey-syria-earthquake-appeal.