Donegal GAA fundraiser branded as 'likely scam'

A Donegal GAA fundraiser has been branded a ‘likely scam’ by a new national alert system established by telecommunications regulator ComReg to crack down on scam texts.

The new text filtering system went live earlier this month, and recipients of text messages promoting Donegal GAA’s 50/50 draw have received a ‘Likely Scam’ warning.

Companies or organisations who send bulk text messages are required to register with ComReg and have their number verified so that their texts are allowed through without a warning label. Everything else is labelled ‘Likely Scam’.

One of two things has happened. Either Donegal GAA, or the marketing partner that sends texts on its behalf, didn’t sign up for the new national register. Or they did sign up, and their texts are being mistakenly labelled as ‘likely scam’.

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The new scam alert register has endured a difficult inception.

Instead of filtering out scam messages, it’s been mistakenly labelling messages from hospitals, insurers and banks as ‘likely scam’, and now Donegal GAA has fallen foul of the filter too.

However, a spokesperson for Donegal GAA emphasised that the text message is indeed genuine, and the 50/50 draw, which has been running for well over a year, will continue as normal with the next draw at 8pm on Sunday evening.

If you want to support the fundraiser, click on this Donegal GAA 50/50 link

It is not a scam.