How to Prevent Fraudulent Fundraising

Maureen O’Donnell, CEO of the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association

In October 2024, an individual contacted our organisation (Irish Lung Fibrosis Association, or ILFA) requesting fundraising materials, including an authorisation letter and branded T-shirts, for what was described as a Christmas swim fundraiser in Galway through a local sports club. We recorded the details provided and supplied five T-shirts and a fundraising letter confirming that the event was collecting funds on behalf of ILFA.

The fundraiser never took place. Instead, the materials were used by several people who falsely represented themselves as ILFA fundraisers while collecting donations in SuperValu stores and through door-to-door collections across the country.

We became aware of these fraudulent collections when ILFA members spotted them and notified us. Each time we received a report, we notified An Garda Síochána, but by the time they arrived, the collectors had moved on. Beyond alerting our members and asking SuperValu stores not to permit collections in our name, there was little else we could do.

In June 2025, one of the individuals was reported collecting door-to-door in Arklow. Customers of a local business contacted us after being approached for a donation. As one of our staff are based locally, they attempted to locate the collector while An Garda Síochána were notified. Although the individual had left the area before Gardaí arrived, the ILFA staff member was able to provide Gardaí with a list of businesses that had been visited. Gardaí subsequently obtained CCTV footage from one premises but advised that, while useful, it was not sufficient on its own and that the individual would need to be apprehended while actively committing the offence.

When the individual returned to Arklow several weeks later, Gardaí on patrol located and arrested him. He was subsequently convicted of deception and received a two-year suspended sentence. Despite this conviction, the same individual continues to contact us requesting fundraising materials and authorisation letters for proposed collections.

What Other Charities Should Know

This type of fraud harms both charities and the public. While the charity's name and reputation are misused, the offence of deception is committed against the businesses and members of the public who donate money. As charities, our most important role is therefore prevention.

Following this incident, we strengthened our fundraising procedures. We now independently verify all fundraising requests. Where an event is being held through a club, business or other organisation, we contact the organisation directly to confirm the arrangements. Where the fundraiser is not already known to us, we verify their connection to ILFA before providing any authorisation or materials. We also provide closer support to fundraisers throughout the planning process and frequently attend events ourselves. We have also made it clear that door-to-door fundraising is not authorised by ILFA.

We continue to keep our members informed about legitimate fundraising activities and encourage them to report any collections they believe may be unauthorised. Their vigilance has been invaluable in helping us identify fraudulent activity.

Since this incident, I have spoken with other charities that have experienced similar fraudulent collections. While there appears to be a significant amount of anecdotal evidence that this type of fraud occurs across the sector, it is rarely discussed and may be substantially underreported.

If your charity becomes aware of suspected fraudulent fundraising, report it to An Garda Síochána as soon as possible. Even where an immediate arrest is not possible, reporting these incidents helps Gardaí build a picture of the scale and prevalence of this type of offending and may assist future investigations.

We hope that by sharing our experience, other charities can strengthen their own fundraising verification procedures and reduce the opportunity for this type of fraud to occur.