What was claimed

St Vincent de Paul, The Salvation Army and Anglicare are offering no-interest Christmas loans on Facebook.

Our verdict

False. The “loans” have no connection to the charities.

Families trying to make ends meet this Christmas are being targeted by scam charity accounts on Facebook.

Dozens of accounts posing as St Vincent de Paul, the Salvation Army and Anglicare have popped up on social media, offering supposed no-interest loans.

The charities say the pages are scams and have no connection to them.

One Facebook post from an account called “Vinnies helping hands support” features a promotional image describing a Christmas loan scheme.

“A Little Help Goes a Long Way,” the caption reads.

“With Christmas around the corner and things feeling a bit tighter, remember: We’re here to help with the essentials.”

The account claims to offer no-interest loans up to $5000 “so you can stay steady and confident”. Users are encouraged to message the account to apply.

Another post, from a group called Uplift with Vinnies, features classic Christmas imagery, including a gift, snow and holly. It also promises beneficiaries up to $5000 with “absolutely no interest ever”.

Many of the suspect pages were only recently created and have few followers. Photo: AAP

There are dozens of other accounts making similar posts.

A spokesperson for St Vincent de Paul Society NSW said the accounts weren’t connected to its federal, state or territory organisations.

“Vinnies will never ask you to share your personal information over social media in order to receive financial assistance,” the spokesperson said.

“If you see any advertisements in regards to financial support from the St Vincent de Paul Society, please be aware that these are fake.”

Other accounts are posing as the Salvation Army and Anglicare.

The ads appear to target those who receive Centrelink payments. Photo: AAP

Salvation Army spokesperson Steve Speziale said they were scams.

“The Salvation Army does not ask for a person’s personal or financial details via social media platforms,” he said. “This includes offers of free loans.”

An Anglicare spokesperson confirmed posts claiming to offer similar loan schemes were not connected to the charity.

Anglicare, the Salvos and St Vincent de Paul all offer various loan schemes for those in need. However, the specific details and application methods vary from those on the Facebook pages.

A spokesperson for the National Anti-Scam Centre said it was common for scammers to pose as legitimate charities to exploit vulnerable people.

They advised users to always verify an organisation was legitimate before taking action. If unsure, seek a second opinion from a friend or family member.

-AAP