The UK Government has issued a warning to charities following reports of fraudsters attempting to gain access to bank accounts.

In a statement, the Government said it had received several reports from charities that have been targeted by fraudsters impersonating members of staff, specifically attempting to change employees’ bank details. In all these cases the request was made via email.

The Government has urged charity workers to look out for requests to their HR department, finance department or staff with authority to update employees bank details, usually from a spoofed or similar email address to that of the subject being impersonated.

A Government spokesperson said: “With a strong social engineering element, the fraudster often states that they have changed their bank details or opened a new bank account.”

Charities are urged to review their internal procedures regarding how employee details are amended and approved, especially those in relation to verifying validity.

“If an email is unexpected or unusual, do not click on the links or open the attachments,” the spokesperson added.

“Email addresses can be spoofed to appear as though an email is from someone you know. Check email addresses and telephone numbers when changes are requested. If in doubt request clarification from an alternatively sourced email address or phone number.

“Sensitive information you post publicly, or dispose of incorrectly, can be used by fraudsters to perpetrate fraud against you. The more information they have about your charity and employees, the more convincingly they can appear to be one of your legitimate employees. Always shred confidential documents before throwing them away.”

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The Government issued an alert in May 2019 that provides information and advice to charity trustees about cybercrime and how to report it.

The Government spokesperson said: “If your charity has fallen victim to this type of fraud, or any other type of fraud, you should report it to Action Fraud.

“Charities affected by fraud should also report it to us as a serious incident. Serious incident reporting helps us to assess the volume and impact of incidents within charities, and to understand the risks facing the sector as a whole. Where appropriate, the Charity Commission can also provide timely advice and guidance.”