Man raised €1,000 by posing as charity fund-raiser, court told
A man who posed as a fund raiser for Dar tal-Providenza allegedly raised some €1,000, a court heard this morning.
Arturo Busuttil, 49 of Birzebbuga, allegedly knocked on people's doors, said he was from the Home for the Handicapped, and solicited donations.
Police Inspector Michael Mallia said that in some cases, the accused told those who opened the door that they had won a prize of some €5,000 and he suggested that they donate a handsome amount as charity in order to claim the prize.
In one case he was given €800 in cash.
The inspector noted that the accused had already been previously convicted of similar crimes.
Magistrate Audrey Demicoli granted Mr Busuttil bail against a personal guarantee of €3000.
Dr Franco Debono was defence counsel.
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16 Comments
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Joseph Stephen Galea
Feb 9th, 21:16
IF found guilty, court should order he donates double the amount to the organisiation ... and to spend some months working as a volunteer.
Ms Marianne Mercieca
Feb 9th, 21:09
Well once some 10 years ago a guy came knocking on my door posing as a person sent from id-Dar tal-Providenza to collect funds. I asked him to come the following day pretending that I did not have cash in hand. I called Dar tal-Providenza and they told me that they never send anyone collecting money. The next day he came again and I pretended I was not at home but tried to see whether he had a car but apparently he came on foot. A couple of months later I was at the village feast and this same guy came to me asking me to buy LM1 lottery tickets to win a gold necklace. ow reading this today I very much think that this might be the same guy or else we're surrounded by other fraudsters. PLEASE NEVER GIVE DONATIONS TO PERSONS YOU DON'T KNOW. IF YOU WANT TO DONATE GO TO THE INSTITUTIONS YOURSELF OR SEND A CHEQUE.
Eugenio Baldacchino
Feb 9th, 14:36
Jien nahseb li muhx sew li giet imsemmija Id-Dar Tal-Providenza ghax jekk ikun hemm minn sincerament qed jigbor ghal din id-dar ma'jigiex fdat u tispicca tbati l-konsegwenzi id-dar meta din ma'ghanda l-ebda htija u giet imsemmija publikament.
Jo Camm
Feb 9th, 16:56
Tad-Dar tal-Provvidenza hargu avviz li mhumiex jibghatu min jigbor bieb-bieb. Ghalhekk min jigi ttuhx, sakemm ma tkunux tafuh personali.
Mario Vella
Feb 9th, 14:13
mela ghadu jezisti Gahan Malta???
B Attard
Feb 9th, 14:11
mela spicca minn taht E3000 garanzija personali + tal-avukat.
Victor Pulis
Feb 9th, 13:56
My 82 year old mother was one of the victims. Mr. Muscat if someone knocks on your door and tells you that you had won €5,000 wouldn't you give a donation? My mother often gives donations to Dar tal Providenza without expecting anything in return. What I'd like to know is will my mother get her money back from this fraudster or will his pickings remain in his bank account?
LOUIS JOSEPH BORG
Feb 9th, 17:06
well mr pulis i was once told on the internet that i won one million sterling and my reply was that they first come with the money than i will give them half of it! i got no reply!
Ramon Casha
Feb 9th, 13:49
The REAL organisers of charitable collections, together with the NGO Commissioner, need to sit around a table and discuss means of avoiding such frauds. Perhaps an ID badge can be issued to people who are official collectors, together with a receipt being issued for every donation.
Maria Debono
Feb 9th, 14:28
Dar Tal-Providenza never authorises house to house collections.Shame on this person. Hope he gets what he deserves to give him time to repent
Ramon Casha
Feb 9th, 17:16
@Maria Debono: No, but other charities do. If there were a single, recognisable, hard to duplicate official ID card and an official receipt book, it might make such frauds more difficult.
Another way to make frauds more difficult is to ALWAYS distribute a note door to door on the previous day, and then collect the money on the next day. That way, if someone knocks on your door unannounced they would be turned away, and if you receive the note you'd have 24 hours to check with the organisation to ensure it's genuine.
Victor Pulis
Feb 9th, 17:17
With today's technology at our fingertips it's child's play to create an ID card with false name etc. Receipts too can be issued in anyone's name. Once the fraudster has disappeared it's almost impossible to catch him.
Ramon Casha
Feb 10th, 07:13
@Victor Pulis: That's why I said it won't PREVENT, but it would make things more difficult. At present, all that one needs is a kindly face, a smile, a picture of a saint and a box with a slot for the money. If you make the ID cards properly out of plastic as opposed to simple lamination, it would be even more difficult. Even fake money can be created, but it would be easier if money consisted of simple black text on ordinary white paper.
Mario Spiteri
Feb 9th, 13:48
As there are still gullible people out there, you still find guys to play the sucker game and part such people out of ther money.
carmel muscat
Feb 9th, 13:13
ma nixtax nifem hawn malta kif ijsiru l affarijiet ahna il maltin ma tantx ghandna mohna maluq voldieri kif waqaw ghan nasba ta dan il bnedem prova ta kemm il magoranza tal malti fejn jidhol loghob jew wediet ta rigali ma jibqu jaraw xejn dan huwa faqar mhux il faqar li jajdu li hawn - - - - - - - - -
Ms Maria Vella
Feb 9th, 13:06
Send him to jail and throw away the key