Donation and email fraud

Donations

If you are suspicious about a donation request, either by email or a door-to-door solicitation, please contact the British Red Cross supporter care team. You can reach them by phone on 0300 456 11 55 or by e-mail on supportercare@redcross.org.uk 

If you are interested in setting up a fundraising event, we have information on how to do this and donate money to our appeal.

If you have any concerns about, or wish to check the legitimacy of a fundraising event being held in the name of British Red Cross or our appeal, please email fraud@redcross.org.uk.

Fraudulent disaster appeal emails and websites: things to look out for

Whenever there is a disaster, there will be those who seek to take advantage of people wanting to donate for the relief effort. This could be for anything from  the Europe refugee crisis or the Syria crisis to a UK emergency,  Many scams involve emails that claim to be on behalf of the Red Cross and there are numerous variations:

• They may direct you to a fake website where you are asked for credit card details.
• They may offer you a position collecting money on their behalf for a percentage, retaining the money you send or using you to launder money from criminal activities.
• They may ask you to donate cash through money transfer companies such as Western Union.

If you receive an unsolicited email alleging to be on behalf of the Red Cross or collecting for the Red Cross, do not respond to it or provide any personal details. Delete it immediately and do not forward or otherwise circulate it.

Please ensure that you only make donations on the official British Red Cross site: redcross.org.uk.

• Any emails requesting donations to us through any mechanism other than secure donation via redcross.org.uk are fraudulent.
• Any numbers not beginning 08450 547, 08450 714, 08450 532, 0300 456 or 0300 023 08 are fraudulent.
• British Red Cross marketing email addresses end in @em.redcross.org.uk and we do not use general email providers, such as BT Internet or Googlemail, to solicit donations.

If you are suspicious of an email you have received, please contact the British Red Cross supporter care team on 0300 456 11 55 or e-mail supportercare@redcross.org.uk.

Other scam emails

Fraudulent emails which appear to have been sent from the British Red Cross are in constant circulation. Typically, these relate to competition and lottery winnings or travel bookings, and request personal information or some form of payment.  Do not respond to these emails and delete them.

If in doubt, and you are concerned about an email you have received, please contact the internal audit department at fraud@redcross.org.uk.

If you think you have been a victim of identity theft, report this to your bank and Action Fraud the UK’s national fraud and internet crime reporting centre.  You can call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.