Don’t fall into the trap of online donations

People must donate through registered charities to prevent their money falling into wrong hands

After cracking down on begging outside mosques, hospitals and malls, authorities have noticed a new disturbing trend — of online begging. Dubai Police on Monday issued a warning to people not to fall for fraudsters seeking donations online. The warning came after police were looking into several cases of fraudsters seeking money for dubious charities through social media platforms.

Online begging frauds can be elaborate, scammers sometimes record videos of poor and homeless families and children and post them on social networks to lure victims. For example, Gulf News reported on Monday about the case of a woman who was conned into wiring Dh200,000 to unknown fraudsters. The expatriate believed that she was sending money for refugees after she saw a video posted on social media about families suffering in refugee camps. Later, she was shocked to discover that the same video was being used online, with claims that it was of a different camp in a different country.

Ramadan is the month of charity and people must donate money through registered charities only. They can also donate through boxes kept in malls, hospitals, airports and other public places. It is important to understand that your donations, if it is not sent through proper channels, may not reach the intended beneficiaries. Worst, there is a serious danger of your money landing in wrong hands if you donate through dubious sites. Money collected by shady charities can be utilised to fund criminal or extremist activities. That is why, police and other authorities ask people to give Zakat, a mandatory donation for Muslims during Ramadan, and other acts of charity through registered organisations. A simple online search on Gulf News can provide the full list of registered charity organisations.