Warning over bogus suicide collection scam

The head of a locally based suicide prevention and bereavement support charity has described as “disgusting” a bogus clothes collection scam operated under the auspices of a group that shut last year.
“It’s an absolute disgrace that any person, because it is a person behind it all, would prey on anybody’s vulnerabilities, especially when it comes to suicide,” said Christine Wynne, coordinator of SOSAD Cavan in response to the appearance of collection bags in letter boxes in the Cavan Town area last week.
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána subsequently posted on social media to highlight that the ‘Touched by Suicide’ charity, whose name was on the clothes collection bags, closed down last year.
‘We have made enquiries and established that this registered charity closed down last year and the intended collection is not associated with it. Please bear this in mind if you received such a request,’ local gardai noted.

She went on to state that fundraising for charities such as SOSAD ensured that services could be maintained in the local area.
“Even within our network, and our own region, with Dundalk, Drogheda, Navan, Carrickmacross and ourselves, whatever is raised locally stays local to the service and the office. It doesn’t go into some centralised fund, every single cent.”
Ms Wynne feels that point is important to people, where there are so many charities out there all vying for support.
“Everyone, and everyone’s family has been touched by something, and there are so many charities out there now, and they’re all working very hard for the few euro here or there to put it to good use, that when there are bogus people, it affects that generosity. So it’s important to see that your money is able to help your community. It’s very important and, when money is donated locally, it means the service is kept local too.”