Devon among South West areas linked to 53 charity fraud reports

Charities across the county are being urged to review their fraud prevention measures following latest data showing that 53 charity fraud incidents were recorded across the South West in the past 13 months, 15 of which were reported to Devon and Cornwall police.

Data from Action Fraud’s Fraud and Cyber Crime Statistics Dashboard shows that these 53 incidents resulted in total losses of £126,000. The figures reflect crimes reported to police, which may include cases where charities were directly targeted or where members of the public were deceived by fraudsters posing as charitable causes.

Ansvar Insurance, which specialises in providing cover to the charity and not-for-profit sectors, is highlighting the importance of vigilance ahead of Charity Fraud Awareness Week (8th to 12th December 2025), which aims to raise awareness and share good practice across the voluntary sector.

Adam Tier, Head of Underwriting at Ansvar, commented: “These figures represent real money that should have gone towards genuine charitable causes. Whether the victims are charities themselves or members of the public misled by fraudulent fundraising, the impact on trust in the sector is the same.

“The voluntary sector faces unique vulnerabilities, such as limited resources and high staff turnover, which criminals can exploit. As we approach Charity Fraud Awareness Week, we’re encouraging Devon organisations to look beyond the basics and strengthen their long-term fraud resilience.”

While most charities are familiar with standard security protocols, Ansvar is drawing attention to three often-overlooked protective measures that organisations should not neglect:

1. Review volunteer and staff access rights: People change roles, leave or take on new responsibilities. Regularly reviewing who has access to systems, bank accounts and data helps prevent both accidental and deliberate misuse.
2. Validate all supplier or partner changes: Fraudsters will potentially impersonate trusted suppliers. Always confirm any change in bank or contact details by calling a known number, not replying to the email received.
3. Audit cloud and shared access permissions: Many non-profits use cloud services for documents and donor data. Conduct a quarterly review of all user accounts and access permissions. Over-permissioned or dormant accounts are common entry points for cyber criminals looking for sensitive data.

Adam Tier added:

“Charity Fraud Awareness Week is an opportunity for every organisation, large or small, to pause and review its controls. Prevention doesn’t always mean big budgets; it’s often about simple checks and staying alert to changes that don’t feel quite right.”

To help local organisations assess their vulnerabilities, Ansvar has published a cyber risk management guide on its website - https://ansvar.co.uk/resources/risk-management-guides/protection-from-cyber-attack/.