The Bulgarian Red Cross has denied a circulating message about a one-time payment of €300 per person. It claims that the funds are being provided by the Bulgarian Red Cross with the support of the UN World Food Programme, but the organization stated that it is not implementing such a program and is not accepting applications for such a payment.
“The Bulgarian Red Cross is not implementing such a program and is not accepting applications for the payment in question. The websites included in the message do not belong to the Bulgarian Red Cross. The organization has not authorized any individuals or organizations to collect applications, personal or banking details through them,” the organization said in its statement.
Warning About Personal and Banking Details
The Bulgarian Red Cross urged citizens not to open the links in the message, fill out forms, or provide personal details, bank card information, passwords, or confirmation codes.
“We recommend that the message be reported as fraudulent on the respective platform and not forwarded. If banking details or access codes have already been provided, the servicing bank must be notified immediately,” the organization added.
The Bulgarian Red Cross stated that the actions described may constitute fraud or an attempted fraud if the legal prerequisites are met. Establishing the circumstances and seeking criminal liability fall within the competence of the investigating authorities, the prosecution, and the court.
The organization described the use of its name to mislead citizens as an “unacceptable abuse of public trust in the organization and in its humanitarian work.”
At the beginning of the year, the Bulgarian Red Cross also denied a claim that it was preparing lists of people to receive assistance in connection with a declared state of emergency. The organization once again urged citizens to rely only on official information from the executive authorities and the Bulgarian Red Cross.
Sources: novini.bg