Annapolis, MD – Secretary of State John C. Wobensmith and Attorney General Brian Frosh today announced their participation in the 2022 International Charity Fraud Awareness Week (ICFAW) from Oct. 17-22, 2022 to help raise awareness about fraud and cybercrime affecting charities. ICFAW, which is led by an international partnership of charities, regulators, law enforcers, representative bodies and professional advisors, seeks to create a safe space for charities and their supporters to talk about fraud and share best practices.
“We enthusiastically support International Charity Fraud Awareness Week and are proud to be an official partner again this year,” said Secretary Wobensmith. “It’s critical to raise awareness among charities about cybercrime and fraudulent activities, especially when charities have become victims of these despicable crimes which have become rampant. We are hosting a town hall for charitable organizations to raise awareness about fraud and cybercrime affecting charities and to mitigate the opportunity for swindlers to fleece charities.”
The Town Hall, How to Escape a Cyberpunk, will feature a distinguished panel of cyber experts and law enforcement officials who will focus on how to prevent, detect, respond and recover if a cybersecurity incident occurs. The Town Hall will be held virtually (https://meet.google.com/msi-jtch-pfc) on Oct. 21, 2022 at 10:00AM. Our panelists will also address cybersecurity issues encountered by charities.
“I am pleased to once again support International Charity Fraud Awareness Week,” said Attorney General Frosh. “Fraud in the charitable sector is especially troubling when it diverts charitable resources away from their intended purpose. ICFAW provides the nonprofit sector with resources and tools needed to stay vigilant and safeguard charitable assets.”
Secretary Wobensmith and Attorney General Frosh are official partners of International Charity Fraud Awareness Week and to support the efforts of the award-winning International Charity Fraud Awareness Week. Charities, NGOs, and not-for-profits are all susceptible to fraud and are possible targets. Those providing services and supporting local communities may be especially vulnerable to fraudsters attempting to exploit the current national and global crises to carry out fraud and cybercrime.
This effort is led by an international coalition of over 40 charities, regulators, section and professional representative bodies, and other interested stakeholders including: The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland; Charity Digital; CyberScotland, GoFundMe; UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; Fundraising Regulator; Get Safe Online; Global Cyber Alliance; IASME Consortium; OSCR Scottish Charity Regulator; Sightline Security; Take Five to Stop Fraud; Tenancy Fraud Forum; UK Aid; UK Finance.
More information on International Charity Fraud Awareness Week can be found on the Secretary of State’s website and Facebook page.
