Charity scams

Some people try to use natural disasters for their own gain. Fake charities and fundraisers have taken advantage of public generosity after past disasters.

If you’re planning to donate to a charity or relief appeal:

• look for the warning signs
• do your homework—check the charity is legitimate.

Warning signs of a fake charity

Collectors might approach you pretending they work for a legitimate charity. They might approach you:

• on the street
• at your home
• online—either by email or by posting a message on community or other group sites.

Be suspicious if a collector:

• doesn’t have identification (ID) or you think their ID looks forged
• can’t or won’t give you details about the charity (e.g. its full name, address or phone number)
• becomes defensive when you ask what the charity does and how much of the donation goes to administration costs
• asks for cash, won’t accept a cheque or asks for a cheque or money transfer to be made out to them instead of the charity
• won’t provide a receipt or the receipt doesn’t have the charity’s details on it.

Beware of:

• fake online collectors who
  • use fake websites or social media accounts
  • send letters or emails similar to those used by real charities
• fake charities that make unwanted phone calls or send emails asking for donations.

Check a charity

Organisations that want to publicly fundraise in Queensland must be registered with the Office of Fair Trading, or authorised by a registered charity to act on their behalf.

Do a free search for registered charities to make sure you’re donating to a real charity.

How to register to fundraise in Queensland

Fundraising rules help protect the community from charity scams. If you want to raise funds in Queensland you'll need approval to fundraise for a community purpose before starting your appeal.

Alternatively, the simplest and fastest way to start collecting is to fundraise through an existing charity.