Door-to-door charity scam

BALLARAT residents are being warned to be on the lookout for fake charity doorknockers.Linda Caine said she returned home last Thursday to find a man on her Drummond St doorstep claiming to be from the Heart Foundation. Ms Caine said the man who was aged in his 20s with a German accent said he was collecting for the campaign.The man flashed an identification card with his picture on it in Ms Caine's direction but it did not have the Heart Foundation logo on it. Ms Caine said the man told her that if she made a monthly contribution via her credit card it would be a great help.She offered him some coins but the man said he was not authorised to take cash.The Heart Foundation yesterday said the man was not collecting on their behalf.Fundraising director Carl Young of the Heart Foundation said their doorknockers wore badges with the charity's logo."It's disappointing that some people would try and defraud us and take advantage of people's generosity," Mr Young said."We take these enquiries from the community very seriously and we have contacted the police."Mr Young said the Heart Foundation's doorknocking campaign will run from September 5 to September 20."Hopefully it won't put anyone off from our collection. Our collectors are easily identifiable and they can have every confidence that money will get back to us."For more information go to www.heartfoundation.org.au or call 1800 552 255.How to identify a Heart Foundation doorknocker:* Heart Foundation badge with identification number and expiry date;* Official receipt book with Heart Foundation logo;* Small plastic Heart Foundation bag.