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[Nickbat]

Have you ever wondered when a charity is not a charity? This new site aims to highlight charities which are, well, a bit dubious.

http://fakecharities.org/

Click on the A-Z listings. My favourite at the moment is "Alcohol Concern". 2007/08 accounts show it received £515,000 from the Department of Health and just £4,991 in public donations.

Call that a charity?

Grrr.  

[mars]

All genuine charities have a registered charity no. which should be on all collection bags, notepaper etc. If it only has a business number it is not a proper charity.
 

[Nickbat]

All genuine charities have a registered charity no. which should be on all collection bags, notepaper etc. If it only has a business number it is not a proper charity.
 

They all have charity numbers..that's not the point. A charity should rely mostly on voluntary donations. Once it gets bucket loads from from the government, it's no longer a real charity but a mouthpiece for the government -disguised as a charity.

[Markjay]

Being a Registered Charity means that the organisation has to file certain reports and meet certain criteria annually, or it will eventually get struck off. But until it does, and that can take a couple of years, it can do pretty much what it likes to. So before parting with any money, be sure you know what these people do because again being a Registered Charity means bugger all.

[mars]

All genuine charities have a registered charity no. which should be on all collection bags, notepaper etc. If it only has a business number it is not a proper charity.
 

They all have charity numbers..that's not the point. A charity should rely mostly on voluntary donations. Once it gets bucket loads from from the government, it's no longer a real charity but a mouthpiece for the government -disguised as a charity.

The point I wanted to make is that some of these rag merchants for example, put leaflets through letterboxes asking for clothing for Romanian orphans etc. and have no intention of donating a penny to charity. A lot of people donate thinking they are helping and it is all a big con.

[BigAl]

Being a Registered Charity means that the organisation has to file certain reports and meet certain criteria annually, or it will eventually get struck off. But until it does, and that can take a couple of years, it can do pretty much what it likes to. So before parting with any money, be sure you know what these people do because again being a Registered Charity means bugger all.

I think your mistaken there - I believe the charity commission does have quite a bit of authority.
They shut down the mosque in north London that was radicalising young muslims - police didn't have the authority, but as it was a charity the commission could.