Resident warns against bogus charity collectors
Children’s Support Society unknown to Charity Commission
A MAN has warned generous residents not to donate old clothes and toys to a bogus charity.
Engineer Jonathan Gibbie, 50, of Yoakley Road, Stoke Newington sent in this picture of a ‘charity bag’ he received through his door on Monday.
“You get lots of bags like this through the door,” he said. But I looked this one up on the Charity Commission’s website.
“The Children’s Support Society does not exist according to the website. It looks like this is a scam.
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“I think it’s outrageous to be preying on people’s generosity by pretending to be a charity.
“I found it really irritating. This fake charity is taking advantage of people’s good will.”
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Not only is the name not registered with the Charity Commission but the number printed on the bags belongs to an educational charity, which ceased to exist in 2009.
A Commission spokeswoman said: “Concerns have been raised with the Charity Commission regarding the Children’s Support Society UK. We have no record of a charity of that name on our register and are not aware of an organisation of this name that has or is applying to the Charity Commission for charitable status.
“As far as we are aware, there is no link between this organisation and the removed charity whose registered charity number Children’s Support Society UK is using on its fundraising material. We have attempted to contact Children’s Support Society UK to advise that they stop using the registered charity number and stop claiming that they are a registered charity.
“The Charity Commission takes concerns of this nature very seriously and we would encourage anyone who receives collection bags or fundraising materials from this organisation to contact the police, their local trading standards office, the Advertising Standards Agency and their local council.”
When the Gazette rang the mobile number printed on the bags, nobody answered.
An email also did not receive a response.
Mr Gibbie informed Hackney Council’s trading standards team and is awaiting an answer.
The Charity Commission recommends people follow Mr Gibbie’s lead and check out charities on www.charitycommission.gov.uk.
Have you donated to The Children’s Support Society, or seen any other charity collectors you are not sure about?
Call Sarah Cosgrove on the newsdesk on 020 7791 7788 or leave a comment in the box below.
