People have to be more cautious before donating money, St Jeanne Antide Foundation is warning after it was targeted by fraudulent fundraisers.
The organisation has received about 15 reports of unauthorised people asking for cash on its behalf. It has lodged a police report and published notices urging people to call them when children and adults beg for money claiming it is for the Sisters of Charity of St Jeanne Antide or the registered NGO St Jeanne Antide Foundation.
CEO Nora Macelli said the foundation received reports over the phone from Marsascala, Luqa, Birżebbuġa, Naxxar, Gżira, Tarxien and Sliema. It is unclear whether the incidents are linked.
Some callers wanted to check whether the people supposedly collecting money on their behalf were in fact authorised by them. Others had already donated money. They said the children and adults asking for money had no identification tags and did not give their names.
Others told the foundation the children had a photograph of the chair of the governing board – a nun of charity – pinned to their chest and said they were collecting for her or for Santa Giovanna Antida, the founder of the Sisters of Charity.
One person said the same picture had been published in a magazine sold on the streets for 50c or a donation, even though the official selling price is €3.50. The foundation informed callers the magazine was not authorised to collect donations and had to be sold for the price shown.
Ms Macelli said reports of fraudulent fundraising started coming in during May and the foundation held meetings with the magazine’s management to determine whether the people collecting were connected to them or were members of their outdoor selling team. There was no relation.
Earlier this year, Id-Dar tal-Providenza and the Richmond Foundation raised the alarm over fraudsters posing as volunteers collecting donations illegally.
Ms Macelli urged people to contact NGOs directly for a copy of their brochure, information about the services being provided, how to make donations and whether a receipt would be issued.
“Many tell us: ‘You need not give us a receipt. We trust you.’ But we always reply that you should expect a receipt.”
“The Maltese are truly generous and support valid causes and services. However, it is time the public learns to recognise what constitute legitimate activities to raise funds for charities.”