Prevention of fraud – charities

You can take this preventative action now:
 make sure charity software has up-to-date virus protection (though it will not always prevent you from becoming infected)
 don’t click on links or open any attachments you receive in unsolicited emails or SMS messages. Fraudsters can ‘spoof’ an email address to make it look like it’s from a trusted source. If you’re unsure, check the email header to identify the true source of communication. Information on how to find email headers is available on the MX Toolbox website
 always install software updates as soon as they become available, they will often include fixes for critical security vulnerabilities
 if your current software does not offer an ‘anti-spyware’ function, consider installing software which does, it can detect key loggers
 make regular backups of your important files to an external hard drive, memory stick or online storage provider. But, it’s important that the device you back up to is not left connected to your computer, as a malware infection could spread to that too
 if you suspect your bank details have been accessed, you should contact your bank immediately

If you think your charity has been affected by a phishing scam, whether it was prevented or not, report it to Action Fraud through their website or call them on 0300 123 2040.
If your charity has fallen victim to a phishing scam and lost sensitive data or valuable funds, you need to report it to the Charity Commission as a serious incident.

Similar Articles

Press release from Charit... The Charity Commission, the regulator of charities in England and Wales, has published the findings of a study which has found that cultural factors, such as placing
Guidance for trustees of... This guidance is for trustees of charities that have a long-term close relationship with a connected non-charitable organisation such as a: trading subsidiary commercial business not-for-profit organisation
Changes to annual return ... The Charity Commission has made a number of amendments to the content of the annual return for 2018 (AR18), after an extensive consultation with charities throughout the
Charity accounts – ... The main reasons why charity accounts submissions do not meet the basic benchmark  are: failure to evidence that accounts had been subject to independent scrutiny by an
Resources to help prevent... Charity fraud awareness week (18-22 October 2021) has just finished but sadly fraud will carry on. It is worth checking this webpage for information which may assist
Cyber attacks – wha... Charities should be aware of “WannaCry” and “Petya”. These are the cyber attacks that have brought organisations to a standstill recently. Many charities are not investing in
The Data Protection Act ... This week, 2 charities have been found to be in breach of the Data Protection Act and have been issued with monetary penalties by the Information Commissioner.
Charity Fundraising Regul... The Fundraising Regulator has just set up its new website at www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk. It is due to start work this summer. It is the independent regulator of charitable
Charities and Brexit The charity sector is expected to lose £200k as a result of the UK’s exit from the European Union from grants and contracts from Europe. There will
Trustees responsibility w... Charities regularly enter into contracts with third parties, and the charity trustees must take the time to ensure they are acting in the best interests of the

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *