The national police chief has warned donors about fake bank accounts set up by crooks looking to cash in on the generosity of people wanting to make donations to quake-stricken Nepal.
Pol Gen Somyot Pumpunmuang Tuesday said people wishing to give money should donate directly into bank accounts set up by the government or by other reliable organisations, adding that they can verify information on donation accounts by contacting the Royal Thai Police's hotline number 1599.
The warning follows the emergence of several posts providing bogus bank account numbers going viral on social media.
- Relief effort ramps up: Government promises 100 million baht for Nepal
Siam Commercial Bank posted a warning on their Facebook account, "SCB Thailand", saying the bank's graphics and logo have been lifted and doctored to create a fake social media account requesting donations.
In a related development, the Revenue Department announced that cash donations for earthquake victims in Nepal, and the value of assets donated, are tax-deductible.
For individual donors to qualify for tax deductions, they can make donations to bank accounts opened by government agencies specifically for this purpose, such as the government's Krung Thai Bank account No. 067-0-10330-6.
Private donors can also give funds through companies or juristic persons, such as television stations or a foundation run by the Federation of Thai Industries.
Legitimate: Within hours of an appeal by the Thai Medical Council for help, more than 500 doctors had volunteered to head for the earthquake zone to work without compensation.
Cheat: Siam Commercial Bank warned that criminals have doctored the bank’s graphics and logo to create a fake account to steal donations by well-meaning people for Nepal earthquake relief.
The Revenue Department said private donors can use the receipts issued by state agencies, or cash transfer bank slips, to claim tax deductions of up to 10%.
Companies, partnerships and juristic persons who donate can use receipts for donations to deduct expenses of up to 2% from their net profits, and the donations are not subject to value-added tax, said the department.
Any entity receiving donations from private donors or other companies on behalf of the government must pass the donations in full to state agencies such as the Prime Minister's Office.
Legitimate: Among the legitimate fund raisers for Nepal relief is this sticker set, a way to give 30 baht to the Himalayan aid effort.
State agencies will issue receipts to all donors, the department said.
But if companies or juristic persons receiving donations on behalf of the government send donations directly to the earthquake victims, they will not be eligible for any tax or expense deductions, the department said.
