Swindlers in Brussels ask for money to ‘save the tigers’

A new con has surfaced in Brussels: People collecting money door-to-door to save the tigers. The men have been seen in Ixelles, Uccle and Auderghem.

Someone knocks on a door and says he is collecting money for Veeweyde, a society for the protection of animals in Anderlecht. He says they are fundraising for the conservation of tigers in Asia, which are endangered, and asks for cash.

As you might expect, the money is not going to any charitable organisation. Veeweyde does exist, but it rescues abused or abandoned domestic animals only. It also runs animal shelters for cats and dogs.

“This is a swindle,” said Veeweyde on its Facebook page. “We do not know these people, and we never collect door-to-door.”

Asking for contributions door-to-door is legal in Belgium, but asking for cash is not. Representatives of non-profit organisations can only leave information for how to donate through a bank transfer. Authorities ask that if anyone ever asks for cash at your door to alert the local police immediately.

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