Cancer Charity Scam?

lizflight

Has anyone heard of a charity called CITY (Caner in the young). They called my husband and persuaded him to raffle a teddy for them, he is to sell all tickets and then send them a cheque which would total £70.00. As he has had cancer he happily agreed.

I have searched high and low for details of this charity and can find nothing. Is this a scam? The address to send the cheque is a PoBox, emails sent bounce back and the website address does not work. All seems very dodgy.

forgotmyname

What is the charity number?

This one???

http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithoutPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=259420&SubsidiaryNumber=0


Contact Details.

http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/ContactAndTrustees.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=259420&SubsidiaryNumber=0

lizflight

On the literature it says:
"registration not required by the Charity Commission where the turnover of the charity is less than £5000 per annum"

We don't mind supporting them if they are genuine. But equally hate the thought that they might be a fake charity.

Liz

lizflight

Hi

Just followed your link. No its not that charity. It is 'Cancer in the Young' CITY.

PlutoinCapricorn

It is true that it is not necessary to register with the Charity Commission, but such small charities, often local, should not expect to collect from the public.

When people start fraudulent charities, they are often for cancer victims, children or overseas disasters - to appeal to the emotions.

This charity is very likely to be one of these: a genuine charity would have a website that explains why they are entering an overcrowded field and evidence of impact.

bearcub

If you have any reservations at all about this, then please don't do as they've asked. I can't see that any genuine charity would call someone they don't know to do this sort of thing, totally out of the blue. It's suspicious that it's a 'group' that no one's heard of and, if it happened to be a local charity, you would have heard of it. Be wary, be very wary!

avstar

Hope I'm wrong but sounds like a scam to me, any charity even a very small one should have an email address you can contact, after all most individuals do.

lizflight

No, they are not even local. We are Dorset and they are hartlepool.

PlutoinCapricorn

At best they are naive and clueless, at worst they are trying to get money for themselves from gullible people.

I wouldn't do anything for them: I might ask some questions e.g. where they got your number from, and about the points raised here, and tell them that you only give to recognised charities.

unlucky67

Just a note to say in Scotland ALL charities have to be registered ...
I deal with 3 and 2 of those have incomes under £5000pa - one is less than £1000 pa.
Can be considered to be a pain - we have to submit an annual return and get our accounts verified by a 'suitably qualified person' - a struggle to find someone to do them for no cost...
But then at least there is no doubt they are genuine charities....

vikki_louise

Someone mentioned them to me (they are a parent of a child with cancer), their website is so vague, and I emailed to ask them what they do and they never replied. I know a lot of families with a child with cancer, never heard any mention these people