Donate wisely to charities this festive season

• Charity donors encouraged to take care with their generosity this Christmas
• Scammers often impersonate charities via emails, text messages and social media
• Consumers urged to donate directly to charities for maximum impact

With Christmas being a peak time for charitable giving, the Cook Government is encouraging Western Australians to take simple steps to ensure their generosity reaches those who need it most.

Scammers may impersonate licensed charities and approach potential donors through unsolicited emails, text messages or social media posts. The government warns that donors should avoid clicking on links in these messages and instead visit the charity's official website directly.

Third-party collectors and online fundraising platforms may deduct fees, reducing the value of donations. Direct engagement with the chosen charity minimises these costs and reduces the risk of exposing personal or financial information, particularly in an environment of frequent data breaches.

When approached for donations in person, over the phone or online, donors are advised to check the collector's credentials and confirm whether they represent the charity directly and if their full contribution will reach the organisation.

Before donating through an online platform or to an individual fundraiser, it is important to verify that the campaign is authorised by a licensed charity and confirm whether the full amount will be passed on.

The government's advice comes as charity fundraising reforms recently passed by State Parliament are soon to take effect, modernising WA's licensing framework to enable mutual recognition of charities across the country and align WA's approach with national fundraising principles.

To verify whether a charity or not-for-profit organisation is licensed, visit the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety's Consumer Protection website and use the online licence search function: https://www.consumerprotection.wa.gov.au/consumer-protection-licence-and-registration-search

Suspected charity scams can be reported to WA ScamNet at https://www.scamnet.wa.gov.au or call 1300 30 40 54.

Comments attributed to Commerce Minister Dr Tony Buti:

"Western Australians are renowned for their generosity, particularly during the festive season, and while our government strongly encourages this tradition to continue, we encourage people to take care.

"Unfortunately, scammers are equally active at this time of year, which is why we urge people to adopt simple steps to verify charities and protect their personal information.

"Upcoming reforms will make fundraising easier for charities nationwide, but donors should still confirm they're giving to a genuine organisation to ensure their generosity reaches the right place.

"Charitable giving is a valued tradition, and these measures will help maintain trust and confidence in the sector."