Think ive found some scammers

tylerboyo

Hello all,
had a leflet through the door today from "help support ltd".
now they dont have a charity number but a company number, which is 05834199. i have put it through the charity organization website, and nothing is coming up.
the leaflet is asking for clothing, sheets, shoes, handbags, belts, cosmetics, toys, bedding, blankets, towels, underweear, toileteries and perfumes.
this seems very dodgy, how can i report it?
thanks

Poppycat

Also mentioned below

Clothing Collection Scam (

malamute

Type the company number in Google and see what comes up heres one example.

HEREFORD residents donating their clothes to a collection firm could be unwittingly helping an international clothing scam.
According to Herefordshire Trading Standards, clothes destined for poverty-stricken nations often end up in Eastern Europe, and are sold on for commercial gain.
Their warning comes after flyers headed Third World Clothing Collection were distributed in Aylestone Hill and Tupsley last week. The leaflets spoke of a house-to-house collection on Monday, and requested unwanted clothes urgently needed for third world countries.
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But while the leaflets look good natured, a closer look reveals some discrepancies. There is no registered charity number, only a company name, Help and Support Ltd, accompanied by the number 05834199.
According to Companies House, this figure is listed as Help and Support Ltd, Gravesend, Kent, which was set up last June with no stated nature of business.
Sam Scott, of Consumer Direct West Midlands, believes the leaflets are not as charitable as they appear, and is concerned that good-natured people may not be helping a good cause.
"Whilst there are numerous charities that may use this method of collection to support fundraising activities, there are a number of things that people can look out for to ensure that the collection scheme is genuine," he said.
"It is not illegal for a business to collect household items and clothes as long as they are not falsely representing themselves as a charity, so check the small print."

soolin

Your local trading standards will probably be interested.

withywood

i get 2 to 3 leaflets a week asking for old clothes etc

LilMissEmmylou

me too and more often than not these days they have a mobile number on them which makes me chuck it int he bin right away. They dont even leave a bag like the real charities round here!

withywood wrote: »

i get 2 to 3 leaflets a week asking for old clothes etc