Beware of scammers who illegally conduct nationwide door-to-door fundraisers, extorting money from unsuspecting citizens, under the guise of charity for children suffering from various forms of cancer and rare diseases.
The new complaints concern a specific legally registered charity, which, however, never obtained the required fundraising license. The complainants also handed over receipts of payments to SIGMA to the specific union.
"It is a criminal offense. We pointed out to them that we have evidence with the emblem of the association that money was collected for charity. They denied that it was theirs. They had promised to file a complaint to the Strovolos police station for the theft of their logos and seals, which they certainly did not do."Said in a telephone conversation, the Senior Administrative Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Antonis Antoniou.
In fact, the competent authority of the Ministry of Interior, submitted to the specific association the maximum fine of 3 thousand euros, a fine which was never paid, while the Association itself continues to be illegal.
"They took advantage of the opportunity provided to them by law and filed an appeal with the administrative court. They promote the union's certificate of incorporation as a fundraising license, which is very different. An association may be legally established, but this does not mean that it can conduct fundraising independently of the provisions of its articles of association."Pointed out Antonis Antoniou.
The competent authority clarifies that the specific association, while it had submitted an application for the relevant license, it was rejected.
"The public must always be vigilant and aware that they can at any time know the legality of any fundraiser through the website of the Ministry of Interior. " noted Antonis Antoniou.
An updated list of all relevant permits issued by the Republic, the holders and purposes of the fundraisers is posted on the website.
Although SIGMA holds the name, registration and telephone numbers of this association, it does not disclose them, as an appeal to an administrative court is underway.
See the excerpt from the Sections in Sigma Events
Source: Sigmalive