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Life

10th Aug 2015

Warnings Issued After Scam Artists Pose as Collectors for Irish Suicide Charity

The charity does not carry out door to door collections.

Rebecca McKnight

Representatives for Irish suicide charity Pieta House have confirmed that door to door collections are the work of scam artists. 

Speaking to The Irish Mirror, Marie Peelo, fundraising and volunteer co-ordinator at Pieta House, said:“We received reports during the summer of 2014 and reported them to the gardai. During 2015 we have had reports of six or seven incidents.

“Obviously we have sympathy for the people that had been duped and concern for their security and vulnerability. We are also very upset that someone was taking advantage of the wonderful support we receive from the general public.”

The paper adds that the con artists appear to be concentrating on individual areas for a period of time before moving on. The scam has been concentrated in parts of Dublin and Kildare.

Pieta House do not collect door to door and anyone wanting to fundraise on behalf of the charity must have their written permission to do so.

Pieta House was founded in 2006 by psychologist Joan Freeman. In the nine years since, the centre for the prevention of self-harm or suicide has helped over 18,000 people in suicidal distress or engaging in self-harm.