Local residents have informed us that there has been an increasing number of collection bags dropping through doors in the village, and many of these bags requesting clothes could well be fraudulent.
Only yesterday some residents of Trafford Road received collection bags from Helpmates Ltd, asking for donations of clothes, blankets, sheets, shoes and other items which would be sent to the Third World.
On the bag it says "Can you spare any of your old unwanted clothes which will be sent to the Third World where the garments will be carefully sorted and worn again" and "God will reward for your good hearts."
Helpmates Ltd is a commercial collecting company which sells the items donated, making a profit for themselves and whilst they don't claim to be a charity they could easily be interpreted as one. As a result of many people are people conned by these companies posing as charities, who are taking advantage of people's good nature.
Patrick Breen, Crime Reduction Advisor at Cheshire Constabularly said " This is a national problem and the Government are presently looking at legislation to combat it."
Mr Breen added "Teams of European fraudsters are involved in a nationwide scam purporting to be registered charities. Other teams more often than not visit areas in white transit vans when they ascertain the days of the week merchandise is left outside peoples homes for genuine collection. They then simply steal the genuinely donates goods from the door step.
"If any person suspects that an alleged charity is bogus, they should obtain what details they can, circulars and plastic bags dropped through their letter box should be retained and and Trading Standards should be informed.
"The best assurance we can give to any person who wishes to make such donations, is to advise them to take the goods to a high street charity shop."
