A MAN posing as a mental health charity collector could be a fraud according to Worcester City Council.

There were rumours on social media that a man was targeting elderly and vulnerable people trying to get them to buy wristbands and booklets for a charity.

However, a spokesman for the Worcester City Council said: "Anyone collecting for a charity on a Worcester street needs to obtain a Charitable Street Collection Permit from the City Council.

"If you are approached by someone claiming to be making a charity collection you should ask to see their permit. If you have any doubt, the best course of action is to not give.

"We will investigate any complaints we receive about unauthorised charity collections.

"We can confirm that there are currently no active Charitable Street Collection Permits in Worcester.”

A concerned local posted a statement on local Facebook group Spotted: Worcester warning others not to give the man money. It read: "In town today (Monday) I came across a man I’ve seen in town on previous occasions selling things to apparently “raise awareness about mental health”.

"I saw that he was again mainly talking to older and potentially more vulnerable people. Today it was a booklet and previously it’s been plastic wristbands. It seems unethical to me that people are giving this person money believing it is going to a good cause when in fact it’s not."

Others commented saying they had seen the same man giving different reasons for selling items in the street.

Lindsay Johnson said: "I saw him last week he asked me to help out with a few pounds as he'd lost his job because of covid! I ignored him as I'd seen him before claiming to be collecting for charity."

Siân Robyn Nash said: "There were two of them last Thursday. He told me he was selling because he lost his job due to covid."

Laura Jones said: "They were saying it was for children with disabilities when I went past with my daughter once and I said she is disabled and we give to other charities. He said, well then you should be helping others."

If you suspect a charity collector is not legit you can report them to the council or the police via their websites.