A raft of free Charity Fraud Awareness Week events are taking place from today (27 November), offering advice to charities on counter fraud measures, tackling crypto currency fraud and encouraging whistleblowing of suspicious activity.

The awareness drive is now in its eighth year and takes place between Monday 27 November and Friday 1 December.

Events include a ‘protecting your charity from fraud’ conference in London on 27 November.

Similar events are taking place in Glasgow on 28 November and Belfast on 29 November.

Other activity includes the release of a video on fraud risks facing English charities focusing on current trends.

A help sheet is being published to help charities tackle insider fraud.

Meanwhile, ‘an introduction to whistleblowing’ webinar is taking place on 29 November featuring experts offering advice on how to integrate whistleblowing policies into fraud prevention practices. A help sheet on whistleblowing will also be published on the same day.

Tackling cyber crime is the focus of a guide being made available from 30 November and on 1 December a webinar on tackling fraud involving crypto donations will take place.

A survey published in October found charities have experienced an average of 32 cyber incidents over the last year. This is 7% higher than the national average, according to the research carried out by tech firm Iomart and researchers at Oxford Economics.

Charity Fraud Awareness Week is organised by regulators, charities and umbrella bodies including the charity Fraud Advisory Panel and the Charity Commission.

Charity Fraud Awareness Week 2023 is almost here!

🗓️ 27 November - 1 December

Find out how to get involved, and together we can #StopCharityFraud 👇https://t.co/qFzMDrA422 pic.twitter.com/eZP2IEFb9O

— Charity Commission (@ChtyCommission) November 20, 2023

“With the publication of the government’s Fraud Strategy, the release of the Economic Crime Survey and the passing of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, fraud and fraud prevention have pushed their way to the top of most organisations’ agenda,” said Fraud Advisory Panel trustee director Brendan Weekes.

“This year’s Charity Fraud Awareness Week is now more relevant than ever, with live events in Belfast, Glasgow and London, and webinars throughout the week, covering different aspects of the threats faced by the sector through counter-fraud professional expertise and insight.”

Charity Commission chair Helen Stephenson added: “Like the technology every organisation uses, fraudsters targeting the charity sector are becoming ever more sophisticated and are something we must all be aware of.

“I encourage anyone working in the sector to attend these free events to grow their own awareness of the risks to our sector.”

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