NFIB targets charity bag fraud

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau has established a special unit to help tackle charity bag fraud.

The fraud is believed to be worth millions of pounds and sees organised gangs targeting the door-to-door collections that charities make of donated clothes and bric-a-brac.

Earlier this year the Head of Economic Crime at the City of London Police, Det Ch Supt Steve Head, met with charities and the Minister for Civil Society with the aim of rooting out the criminal gangs behind the fraud.

In April the first phase of the force’s strategy saw a desk established at the NFIB, where three analysts will be mapping a national picture of the nature and scale of charity bag fraud.

They will be supported by expertise from the charities themselves, with Clothes Aid, who organise collections on behalf of the likes of NSPCC and the Make a Wish Foundation, already offering individuals on secondment.

Det Ch Supt Head said:

"We believe this criminality is a very serious issue, with potentially a national or even international element to it.

“Our role is to look to see exactly how organised crime groups are targeting the charity sector, and then to work with the charities to put a stop to it.”