The Charity Commission warned pubgoers to be on the lookout for gangs of fake charity collectors in London selling roses and lollipops in pubs and clubs.
A number of prosecutions have been brought already based on evidence collected by the commission's investigators but charities believe that the fraudsters have simply changed their strategy to avoid detection and are selling lollipops instead of roses. Many carry a bogus letter from a charity with its logo to give them an air of legitimacy.
"Often the collectors claim to be a charity for breast cancer or children with leukaemia," said Sara Houchen, a Charity Commission investigator, "but I have written to a number of these charities and none have received any donation from these collectors."
