Bushfire relief charity groups in the Riverina have warned their supporters that "ratbag" scammers are impersonating them to obtain fraudulent donations.
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Lorene Cross, founder of the SMART Animal Sanctuary and Rehoming Centre in Batlow, said scammers were individually targeting the group's supporters.
"It takes times like this for people to crawl out from under the rocks," she said.
"There are so many fantastic people out there but there's always one ratbag.
"I don't know how they are getting phone numbers or whatever but they are contacting people saying that they're raising funds for SMART Animal Sanctuary."
"There are so many fantastic people out there but there's always one ratbag."
- Lorene Cross, SMART Animal Sanctuary
SMART is currently taking stock of how many animals it has in care as the group starts to return pets and farm animals it helped shelter during the Dunns Road bushfire, along with looking after wildlife that has been injured or displaced.
Ms Cross said she did not solicit donations from people.
"I don't do that. I don't believe that any group should be ringing you up and hassling you in your own home to donate money," she said.
"It's something I'm dead against."
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The Country Women's Association of NSW has also warned people not to give money to people going door-to-door claiming to be collecting money on their behalf.
"We've had reports of people knocking on doors saying they are fundraising for CWA," the group posted on Facebook.
"This is not a genuine fundraiser. Please do not give funds to people coming door-to-door asking for money."
The CWA has told people who wish to support its Disaster Relief Fund to donate online at www.cwaofnsw.org.au/donate.
Ms Cross asked anyone who wanted to donate to SMART Animal sanctuary to contact the group directly via phone or Facebook, where she has posted the group's bank details.
"Give us a buzz. I'm still answering the phone but I'm just going through messages," she said.