Charities depend on trust. Donors give because they are moved by a mission, staff act out of commitment, and organisations want to handle every donation with care. But it is precisely this trust that can also be abused. A current example of this is Chargeback fraud on direct debits.
On 12 March 2026, Goede Doelen Nederland warned of a scam in which organisations receive a large donation via direct debit. Shortly afterwards, a message follows from the “donor” asking for a large portion to be returned, as the amount was supposedly sent too high by mistake. After the organisation refunds the amount, the scammer cancels the original direct debit. The result: the organisation loses the refunded amount. According to Goede Doelen Nederland, more than twenty reports were received, with amounts ranging from €7,000 to €18,000.
How does this form of fraud work?
The pattern is simple. Someone authorises a large donation, usually via the website, but possibly also through face-to-face recruitment or telemarketing. This person then contacts the charity and says a mistake has been made. For example: “I meant to give £70, but £7,000 was entered by mistake.”
The organisation wants to help and will neatly refund the amount, or the difference. The fraudster then uses their right of chargeback and has the original direct debit reversed via the bank. This results in a double loss: the original donation disappears, and the refunded amount is also gone.
This is not only a financial risk, but also a form of social engineering. The fraudster capitalises on helpfulness, urgency, and the natural inclination of charities to treat donors well.
The return period is still 8 weeks
With a standard European direct debit, also known as SEPA Core Direct Debit, the payer has a 8-week unconditional right of withdrawal. Within this period, a consumer can have the direct debit reversed without providing a reason. In the case of a direct debit without a valid mandate, it can be reversed up to 13 months after the debit, via a 'Notification of Incorrect Direct Debit'.
This is why manual refunds within those 8 weeks are risky. Even if the request sounds very credible. Even if the person is friendly. And especially if there is pressure to act quickly.
What is a safe working practice?
The safest response is clear and simple: refer the donor to their own bank to reverse the direct debit themselves. The donor will then receive the amount back quickly through the existing banking procedure. After that, the donor can donate the correct amount again via the website or transfer the correct amount themselves.
When the donor indicates they cannot contest a payment, explain that due to the risk of fraud, the organisation can only issue a refund after the chargeback period has ended. This is not a lack of trust in donors but a necessary measure to prevent abuse.
Is there pressure being applied, is the communication unclear, or does the request seem illogical? Then treat it as a potential fraud risk. Goede Doelen Nederland advises reporting fraud and attempted fraud to your own bank and to the fraudster's bank. If the scam has actually occurred, GDN also advises reporting it to the police.
Make policy before things go wrong
The most important advice is: do not let employees make these decisions under pressure themselves. Create policy and ensure everyone within the organisation knows the standard procedure.
A simple policy rule could be:
For requests to refund a donation collected via direct debit, within the 8-week chargeback period, we always refer the donor to their own bank to arrange the chargeback themselves. We do not manually refund amounts during this period. After the chargeback period has expired, we assess refund requests according to our internal procedure.
Such an agreement helps donor services, finance, and fundraising to respond kindly and consistently. It prevents employees from making an exception under pressure that could prove costly later on.
Also put your working method on the website
It is helpful to make this procedure visible, for example in the FAQ on the website. Then employees can always refer to it.
A possible text:
I've accidentally entered the wrong amount for my donation. What should I do now?
Have you accidentally entered too high an amount via direct debit? You can have the direct debit reversed through your own bank. This is called 'stornieren'. For a standard European direct debit, this can be done within 8 weeks of the direct debit.
In that case, we advise you to cancel the payment via your bank. You can then donate the correct amount again via our website or transfer the correct amount yourself.
Due to the risk of fraud, we do not manually refund amounts collected via direct debit as long as the chargeback period is still running. If the debit was more than 8 weeks ago and there is still an error, please contact us. We will then carefully review the request.
Trust is essential
"Danish" as a scam fraud shows that digital resilience isn't just about phishing, passwords, or technical security. It's also about operational processes, clear agreements, and employees who know how to act safely.
Trust is essential for good causes. But trust also requires clear boundaries. It is precisely with clear policies that you can remain donor-friendly and protect your organisation from abuse.