Due to the significant rise in charity scams, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) advise as follows:

• ALWAYS check a charity’s credentials on the ACNC online Charity Register before donating;
• ALWAYS search for established and registered charities running verified Christmas/festive season appeals;
• ALWAYS ask to call back someone claiming to be from a charity using the charity’s phone number published on the Register;
• where a donation is made through a third-party crowdfunding campaign, be aware that the charity is bound by its own rules in the way it spends donated funds, not by a third-party’s promises;
• DON’T click on links in any unsolicited emails and social media posts;
• DON’T give out credit card and bank account details on social media and be cautious when doing so online; and
• ALWAYS ask for identification from door-to-door and street fundraising collectors.