THE CEO OF the Marie Keating Foundation has said she was “appalled” to discover scammers had posed as volunteers for the charity in recent weeks, going door to door asking for donations. 

The foundation immediately contacted the Gardaí, who agreed to investigate the incident, and the Charities Regulator. 

It also tried to inform the public of the illegitimate collectors via its social media channels. 

The Marie Keating Foundation provides life-changing supports and funds to people experiencing cancer at all stages, including a comfort fund for people who are in financial difficulty as a result of their diagnosis. 

“Members of the public called our office in Lucan at the end of November and informed us that unauthorised individuals were knocking on doors in a North Dublin suburb claiming to collect funds on our behalf,” she explained. 

“We were deeply disheartened to learn of imposters collecting donations under the guise of supporting the Marie Keating Foundation. Our commitment to supporting people with cancer and their families in communities across Ireland is unwavering, and we’re horrified that these fraudsters would undermine the trust of our generous supporters,” Yeates said.

The charity is advising the public to take the following steps to make sure someone calling to their home seeking donations is actually a volunteer. 

It is urging people to be “especially vigilant at this time of year” and to ensure that contributions go to legitimate causes. 

In order to make sure a fundraiser is legitimate you can: 

• Check their identification: “Fundraisers from reputable charities such as the Marie Keating Foundation will have identification badges displaying the charity name and Charity Registration Number. This number can be verified on the Charities Regulator website.”
• Check their permit: “Charities must obtain a permit from the local Garda Superintendent before collecting cash. Always ask to see a valid permit”. 

Yeates said that the foundation remains “vigilant to the very limited but still very distressing incidents of fraudulent fundraisers and remains steadfast in its dedication to transparency, accountability, and the wellbeing of the people we serve”. 

The Marie Keating Foundation is almost wholly reliable on fundraised income.