Australian authorities have issued a warning that terrorist groups and actors may be falsifying credentials to pose as legitimate charities, harvesting money from innocent Australians to fund their malicious activities.
AFP assistant commissioner Stephen Nutt said terrorists use these malicious tactics to deceive honest individuals who think they’re contributing to a worthy charity or service.
“Terrorist organisations pretending to be charities is a longstanding tactic used to con people out of their money and fund terrorist activity,” assistant commissioner Nutt said.
“These terror groups don’t care how they get financial support or if they exploit the goodwill of ordinary people.
“If you are donating money, make sure it is to an established and registered charity that is running verified appeals.”
The AFP-led Joint Threat Financing Group (JTFG) uncovered the activity, where monies sent under the pretext of lawful donations are ultimately used to fund terror-related activity, which is an offence under Australian law.
Providing funds to or receiving them from a terrorist organisation carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, whereas financing a terrorist or terrorist activity directly could lead to a maximum penalty of life behind bars.
The AFP said Australian sanctions laws apply to all Australians. The AFP’s best advice is to stay abreast of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) charity register to check whether a charity is registered or not.
Dr John Moss, AUSTRAC deputy CEO intelligence, also commented on the tactics of money-strapped terrorist groups and how those activities are monitored.
“AUSTRAC works closely with our partners through the JTFG to identify suspicious funds flows and stop them reaching terrorist organisations overseas,” Moss said.
If you suspect a charity or humanitarian group asking for donations is illegitimate, call the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.
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David Hollingworth
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.