Warning over Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity con

ROTHERHAM people are being warned to watch out for fraudsters claiming to be raising money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

A company called Air Ambulance Support CIC is operating in the area, according to officials from Rotherham Borough Council’s Trading Standards department.

The company has been distributing collection envelopes in and around Killamarsh.

A Trading Standards spokesman said that the company claims the proceeds from the sale of unwanted clothing would help to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

But the spokesman said the company had never been used to raise funds for an air ambulance service anywhere in the UK and people should not make donations to it.

The collection envelopes are emblazoned with the words “Air Ambulance Support” and are designed to look like a genuine charity collection.

A spokesperson for Rotherham Borough Council's Trading Standards Unit said: “The public across Rotherham should be on their guard because this particular company is acting illegally and is depriving genuine charities of much needed income.

"Last year the High Court closed down a company that was operating this particular charity collection scam.

“If any resident of Rotherham receives a collection envelope or notices a vehicle involved in the distribution or collection of the bags, they should call Consumer Direct immediately and give as much detail as possible, such as a vehicle registration number.

“This information will then be passed to trading standards who will then take action to deal with this issue."

Consumer Direct can be contacted on 08454 040506.

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