Belfast fraudsters’ attempts to steal parish donations

A Belfast-based priest has decried the “despicable” actions of fraudsters trying to con vulnerable people out of their money by pretending to collect parish envelopes.

This comes after the Diocese of Down and Connor reported that certain “unscrupulous individuals” were offering to take weekly parish envelopes – which currently aren’t being collected.

Fr Paddy McCafferty PP of Corpus Christi Parish in Ballymurphy told The Irish Catholic: “Pretending to collect envelopes for the church or offering to do their shopping and taking the money from them, it’s despicable to treat the vulnerable and older people in that way.

“The devil makes work for idle hands – there’s a lot of these criminals now, they have a lot more time on their hands to concoct various schemes and scams to try and hoodwink people, that’s inevitable but at least people can be vigilant and aware. Sadly, people do get taken in and with unfortunate consequences for them,” he said.

‘Scam’

The diocese highlighted to parishioners over the weekend that they had become aware of a “fraudulent scam targeting vulnerable people within parishes”. They said the scam had been reported to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

“In line with the government’s ‘Stay at Home’ and social distancing policies, parish envelopes will not be collected at this time,” the statement continued.

“Parishioners who choose to use their weekly envelopes as normal, should retain their envelopes and, once government policy allows, the parish will arrange to safely collect them.”

In a statement to this paper the PSNI said they are currently “conducting enquiries accordingly” and they support the “clear guidance” given by the Diocese of Down and Connor.

Fr McCafferty insisted there are still “great things happening” and his community are watching out for the vulnerable who are living alone and may not have much family nearby.

Hot 
meals

“We have a lot of young people here in the parish who are going around four times a week with cooked hot meals to homes of people who are on their own and are a bit older, and those who are self-isolating,” he said.

“It’s a little group, Cumann Spoirt An Phobail, and they’re tremendous, they’re a soccer club in normal time but they’re doing this now, they’ve been doing it for the last few weeks.”