Ho, ho, hold on! Before you donate to a Christmas charity, make sure it's legitimate. Scammers often create fake charities to steal your generosity.

Here are some tips to help you avoid falling for fraudulent charity appeals during the Christmas season:

Before donating, check the charity's name and registration number on the Charity Commission's website or a similar regulatory body in your country. Most legitimate charities will be registered.

Look up the charity online along with terms like ‘complaint,’ ‘review’ or ‘scam’ to see if there are any negative reports

Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails or social media messages. Instead, go directly to the charity's official website by typing the URL into your browser

Legitimate charities will provide a physical address, phone number and other contact details. If this information is missing or seems suspicious, it might be a scam

In the UK, check for the Fundraising Regulator's badge, which indicates that the charity adheres to the Code of Fundraising Practice

Be wary of charities that pressure you to donate immediately. Take your time to research and make an informed decision

Donate using a credit card or other secure payment methods. Avoid donations by cash, gift card, cryptocurrency, or money transfer services, as these are often requested by scammers

By following these steps, you can help ensure your donations go to genuine causes and make a real difference. 

This messaging system is not for reporting crime as responses are not monitored 24/7.  If you have time-critical information regarding the content of the above message, or if you wish to report any other non-urgent matter, please call 101.  In an emergency, call 999.

Police Scotland's North East Division covers rural and urban areas in Moray, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City.  The division has five territorial command areas which have their own dedicated Area Commander, who is responsible for the daily policing function.  Each command area is served by a number of community policing teams whose activities are built around the needs of the local community.  These teams respond to local calls and look for long term solutions to key issues.  They are assisted by the division's Crime Reduction Unit who deliver against Force and local priorities in a number of areas, including physical and social crime prevention, supporting and enhancing community engagement and creating and sustaining strong and effective partnership working.