Fans attending matches at Manchester United's ground are being advised to watch out for individuals posing as charity collectors. Trafford Council's Licensing team has identified activity where fraudsters are selling wristbands to unsuspecting supporters, claiming they are for genuine charities.
Council officers have noted this behaviour and are taking action, with two individuals currently under investigation for fraudulent activity. The council stressed that genuine charity collectors must possess a formal, non-photocopied, non-handwritten ID badge. This badge should clearly display the collector's name, the charity's name, the registered charity number, and a contact phone number. Without such identification, collectors should not be trusted.
The Fundraising Regulator recommends looking for the Fundraising Badge as a key way to ensure donations go to legitimate causes. Cllr Keleigh Glenton, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Community Safety and Civil Contingencies, condemned the scammers' actions.
“"Wristband scammers are among the lowest of the low. They spin a sob story to guilt people into giving money - but that money ends up in their own pocket rather than to a deserving charity. We will do all we can to raise awareness of the issue and clamp down on it."
Cllr Glenton urged fans to be suspicious of anyone approaching them on the street offering charity wristbands. She advised: “People are very generous giving to charity but we recommend checking for official ID before handing over any money. If you want to support a charity by buying a wristband, our advice would be to buy it online from the charity’s official website. In that way, you know the money is going straight to the charity. The charity can also receive more money if you are a taxpayer and Gift Aid the donation.”
The council encourages anyone affected by this activity to report it to licensing@trafford.gov.uk, stating, “We want to protect the public and legitimate charities.”
