On 27 November 2024 the Charity Commission, the regulator of charities in England and Wales, published updated guidance to help trustees protect their charities from fraud and cybercrime.
The regulator revealed that it opened 603 cases relating to fraud and 99 cases relating to cybercrime in the 12-month period to October 2024.
Fraud can affect any charity and is one of the most common types of abuse within the sector. Trustees have a duty to identify the risks of fraud, take actions to protect their charity, and check that their actions are working.
The bespoke guidance is more concise and easier to use. The fraud guidance provides advice on how to reduce the risk of fraud taking place and the importance of having robust internal financial controls.
The cybercrime guidance helps charities protect themselves from the ongoing threat of cybercrime such as phishing attempts which the regulator identified as the most common type of cyber enabled fraud. This guidance has been developed with the support of the National Cyber Security Centre and links to free online training modules designed for charities.
For more information and to access the guidance:
Protect your charity from fraud – GOV.UK
Protect your charity from cyber crime – GOV.UK
Internal financial controls for charities: protect your charity from fraud and loss (CC8) – GOV.UK
Action Required
Charity boards to note the refreshed guidance and ensure action is being taken to prevent fraud and cybercrime within the organisation.
TIAA Anti-Crime Specialists can review anti-fraud arrangements for your organisation. For further information contact Nick MacBeath, Senior Governance Manager – Contact Us