Warning- A car has been broken into whilst at the Dunkery Beacon car park. Please do not leave valuables in your car

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In difficult times, charities can need support more than ever. The majority of those asking for donations are genuine, but if in doubt, Stop! Think Fraud.

There is no reason to stop giving as it’s easy to explore if a collector or charity is legitimate. The Fraud Advisory Panel suggests considering:

• Are the collectors wearing proper identity badges, and do they seem knowledgeable about their charity and its work?

• If the collectors are from a professional fundraising company, they must be able to tell you how much their company is paid and how this was calculated.

• Check that the collection bucket is sealed and carries the charity’s name (and registration number, if any). It is illegal to collect in ordinary buckets and open containers.

• If you agree to set up a direct debit, give only your bank account number and branch sort-code. That is all that’s needed.

• Make any cheques payable only to the charity itself.

• Still in doubt? Simply contact the charity direct and ask about other ways to give.

You can find this and other advice on protecting yourself against all types of fraud and how to report on the Action Fraud website: http://www.actionfraud.police.uk