Illegal donations organized across social media

Courtesy photo.

RIYADH: Charity and donation campaigns tend to increase during the holy month of Ramadan as a variety of campaigns use social media to advertise different means of helping families and individuals in need, despite often relying on information from unknown sources.
While official charity campaigns are well advertised and available, social media presents a quick and straightforward way for some to violate regulations stipulated for accepting donations and distributing them through official bank accounts and channels to beneficiaries.
Users hide behind fake names and accounts on these sites and pledge to deliver the donations through secure channels to beneficiaries inside and outside the Kingdom.
The Ministry of Interior recently shed light on some of the unlicensed companies and organizations soliciting donations through social media and SMS messages during the holy month by exploiting the suffering of people in Syria and other conflict zones.
These organizations share their cellphone numbers and bank accounts to boost trust and legitimacy, which is a violation of regulations in the Kingdom, including anti-terrorism funding regulation, the ministry said.
The ministry’s spokesman said those who collect donations without a license will be penalized as per the regulations.
Mubarak Al-Qahtani said the chaos of donations across social media can be attributed to the use of humanistic phrases to attract people’s attention and solicit contributions during the Holy Month of Ramadan, as well as the fact that philanthropists do not bother looking for those in need and the poor to help, many of whom may be in their own neighborhoods. These text messages are seen as an act of “intention” and often replace basic duty, he said.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Bishr, secretary general of Al-Birr Charity in Riyadh, said the charity, since its establishment in 1374, has gained trust by officials, benefactors and donors, especially as its board of directors includes a group of men of science, religion and business, and is headed by the grand mufti. He said social media should be used to educate donors on the importance of delivering donations through accredited and official channels and to recognized charities.
“We always instruct our employees to direct donors to deposit their donations in the charity’s accounts approved in local banks, or over ten branches scattered across Riyadh, as advertised on the website,” he said.
The charity also allows beneficiaries to register and be linked with society programs for assistance, while their information is exchanged with other associations and charities for further social welfare. Financial assistance is provided to the beneficiary through his or her bank account, he explained.