Red Cross warns of hoax UK bomb donation email

The Australian Red Cross has warned people not to respond to a hoax email that pretends to be collecting funds for victims of the London bombings.

Robert Tickner, chief executive at the Australian Red Cross, said the emails were a hoax.

According to a statement from the organisation, a few people had contacted the organisation after receiving phony emails which sought donations on behalf of British Red Cross.

The Australian Red Cross was contacting police here and also the British Red Cross, the statement said.

Tickner said donating online was secure and safe. However, people should be as vigilant when donating online as they would be when using internet banking, he said.

The organisation said people who received the hoax email should delete it immediately, not respond to the email and provide no personal details.