Fraud warning: Beware of wrong donation collectors in Greifswald

watchful citizens and the challenges of the willingness to donate

Greifswald (ots)

In the past few weeks, the population in the Vorpommern-Greifswald district has been faced with an alarming warning. If someone asks for money on the street, voluntary support is often quickly considered. This is also done by the police, who warned of false donation collectors who pretend to be representatives of disabled people.

mesh of the fraudsters

The fraud cases that have occurred so far occurred mainly in heavily frequented areas, including the parking lot of a Rewe market in Greifswald and public places on the island of Usedom. On August 13, 2024, two men were observed who asked aggressively for donations for Handicap International. Attentive citizens quickly noticed that the signatures collected were unusually uniform, which was suspected.

willingness to donate under pressure

regularly try to put groups of perpetrators, passers -by with professional -looking clamping boards and fake collection -related conversations. This stitch not only brings the victims into difficult situations, but also damages the credibility of the numerous real collectors who work for charitable purposes. Since the police assume that these activities are classified as fraud, the citizens are asked to be particularly careful.

Caution is required

As another warning shows, even citizens suffered thefts during such conversations. An incident in Koserow paved the way for uncomfortable experiences when a man was asked for his attention and the mobile phone was stolen from his backpack. These stories underline the need for active vigilance if you want to make donations from trust.

A call to support real aid organizations

The police and serious aid organizations call up the citizens for care. Basic measures to counteract falsely acting collectors include:

• Check exactly who you entrust your money.
• don't give money to unknown people.
• don't be put under pressure.
• be careful with your personal data.
• Check the legitimacy of the organizations yourself before donating.
• Note the information and warnings on the website of actual aid organizations.
• If necessary, inform the police immediately if something seems suspiciously.

committed communities as a safe port

In many communities there is enough opportunity to support real and trustworthy charity work. Local organizations are often easy to make out: they often have a clear identity through logos, informants and specific locations. Here donations can not only be a volunteer position, but also a matter close to the heart. Together, citizens can not only help, but also ensure that donations really arrive where help is urgently needed.