Fraudulent Charity Collector

Fraudulent Charity Collector

It has been reported to me that there was a charity fraudster in Henley on Tuesday 3rd November. 

These fraudsters work by asking for a charitable donation and claim to be deaf, normally they ask for around £20, they are normally female and claim to be deaf. 

The female was seen around 15:00pm, dressed in dark clothing with a high visibility vest and wearing a facemask.  She was seen in marketplace Henley trying to persuade an elderly person to give her some money, the elderly person walked away.  A concerned   member of the public questioned the female about what she was doing, and the female ran off saying she had to catch a bus! 

Please advise any elderly friend or relatives not to give to these fraudsters any money and not to get to close to them or hug them as this can lead to pickpocketing.  Unfortunately, the fraudsters are normally members of a gang and may have been forced into crime, giving money is supporting crime.  These fraudsters do not look like official charity worker, and they do not have any identification and often do not speak much English. 

Regards 

PCSO C9987 Claire HEWETT