SCAM ALERT - Bogus Children's Charity

8th December 2011

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There have been a number of complaints concerning the validity of flyers posted through people's doors asking for donated items including clothing, bedding and cosmetics.

The company, who go by the name of ‘Sanita & Partner Limited’, are alleging to be a registered commercial company in England. However, all limited companies in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland are registered at Companies House, an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), and ‘Sanita & Partner Limited’ does not appear on their website.

The company’s details also fail to appear on the Charity Commission website, which is in direct breach of the regulations that Trading Standards enforce. The direct website address for the company which features on the flyer itself also does not exist.

If you receive a charity bag/flyer and you want to find out if it is genuine you can:

Check for the organisation’s full name, address and registration number on the bag. Fake charity bags often do not give any information or contact details.
If the bag has a phone number check if it is real, fake bags often just give mobile phone numbers or numbers that don’t work at all.
If a charity number is given visit the Charity Commission website to check if this number is genuine.
If a company registration number is given visit the Companies House website to check if it is genuine.
Do you recognise the charity name? Does it give a website, if so go on-line and check the site or what others are saying on the internet about the charity in question?

If you are still not sure that the bag is from a recognised charity but you have items to donate you can either:

Take your items directly to a charity shop near you.
Contact a charity that you wish to support in advance and see what type of goods they will accept and how to donate these.
If you think a charity bag you have received is a fake you can report this to Consumer Direct via their online form or to Action Fraud via their online fraud reporting tool.

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