Dudley Borough Council has issued a warning to the public regarding online crowdfunding scams that claim to support victims of the recent Stourbridge fires.
Residents are being urged to use caution when considering digital donations, with the local authority explicitly advising against making contributions to GoFundMe or similar platforms for the time being.
Updating the public on Saturday, chief executive of Dudley Council Balvinder Heran offered details on the wildfires in Stourbridge, which resulted in the destruction of 19 homes earlier in the week.
Speaking in a video published on the council’s website, she stated: “Unfortunately, incidents such as this can attract fundraising and donation scams, so I ask you to please remain vigilant and only donate through official channels.”
To ensure financial contributions safely reach those impacted, she explained that an official fundraising portal has now been set up directly by the council.
This alert follows a social media warning posted on Friday regarding “fake fundraising pages”.
In a Facebook update, the council stated: “We’re aware of fake GoFundMe pages being shared online claiming to raise money for residents affected by the Stourbridge fire.
“Please do not donate to any GoFundMe or other fundraising pages relating to the fire at this time.”
Officials encouraged the community to remain “cautious when sharing or donating to online appeals, and help us spread the word so people don’t fall victim to scams”.