CHARITABLE residents have been warned about doorstep collections after a bogus company targeted thousands of houses in south west Hertfordshire last week.

Trading Standards have issued the warning after thousands of leaflets (pictured right) from Orellana Ltd, a company that claim to provide clothing to people in poor countries, have been pushed through letterboxes in Watford, Bushey and Rickmansworth in recent weeks.

The leaflets claim that clothing, handbags, curtains, blankets and other items are urgently needed and that anyone wishing to donate can simply leave a bundle of clothing on their doorstep for collection.

On the leaflet, Orellana claims it is a collections company which provides people in Third World countries with affordable clothing.

However, according to Companies House, Orellana Ltd was dissolved as a company on 27 June last year, and has since been struck off the list of registered companies.

Therefore distributing literature from Orellana Ltd and operating under that name is a false claim and illegal.

Trading Standards has investigated the company and found that it last operated from a residential address in east London, but have yet to catch anyone operating for the company while collecting clothing.

One resident in Rickmansworth, who did not want to be named, said she received a leaflet from Orellana last Friday and only checked the company on the internet when she saw people in her street had left clothing out for collection.

She said: "I had actually had the leaflet through before and I looked at it and I did think that it was a little bit suspect.

"But it wasn't until I saw some people leaving out clothes that I checked them out on the internet and I'm glad I did really.

"The clothes had already gone and I didn't really want to upset them by telling them.

"I think it is outrageous.

"You think you are doing a good deed and it is just not right that they are making a profit from it."

Orellana also delivered leaflets in Bushey last week. The Watford Observer attempted to contact Orellana using the e-mail address given on the flyer but the message was returned as undelivered.

While Orellana does not claim to be a charity Trading Standards has investigated the company because it should not be trading.

John Camp, press officer for Hertfordshire County Council, said: "As this company no longer exists, we would advise people not to donate clothes to them."

Anyone looking for information or advice about bogus charities can check at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk.