Calgary - Posing as a Salation Army volunteer, a scam artist has been defrauding generous Calgarians out of donations intended for the less fortunate.

Salvation Army spokesman Major Gary Brown said the charity has received several calls about a young woman door-knocking in the northwest and soliciting donations on behalf of the organization.

"I want people to know that The Salvation Army is not going door to door," says Brown.

"People with good hearts are being taken advantage of," he said. "Whoever's doing it is really stealing from the needy."