RSPCA

[Ray Scully]

For quite a number of years we have donated via a monthly direct debit. We now (DW) are receiving monthly telephone call purporting to up date us on the activity of the charity, these call swiftly change to trying to increase our donations. Has anyone else had a similar experience. The next call from them will result in cancelling the donation and giving it to a local animal charity.
Oh I bet these telly sales characters are given the first years increase in any donations they 'sell'

Ray

[Meg 50]

I had similar ones ( not from a charity, but same principle)

when told these calls are recorded for training purposes, I replied,
"Good, so someone will hear me say that if I get another of these calls I shall no longer be one of your customers"

I've had no more

[Stephen]

Just tell them to stop pestering you Ray or you'll stop donating.

[The Tinker]

Isnt it a shame that we have entered this sales culture - now you cannot ring any utilities, bank, shop, charity etc with a genuine query without them trying to sell you another product you do not want.

I know its tough out there with the recession etc but these companies are, as in Ray's case, doing more damage.

[Boris+]

I got 'cornered' by a 'sales person' for an animal charity - ok I'd have given a one-off amount, fine - but oh no, they wanted me to 'adopt' a 'virtual' animal (I'd have no guarantee that it actually exists).

They wanted my debit card and regular monthly payments, not a one-off donation - and when they realised that a regular payment wasn't going to be forthcoming, they resorted to telling me that the animal I selected would write to me!

Oh well, if an animal is clever enough to write to me, it doesn't really need monthly pocket money from me, does it?

Em

[Onelife]

Hi Ray

They are all trying it on one way or another. l received a call from our local branch of the Wildlife Trust a few weeks back asking if l could increase our subscription .....they must think we're made of money don't they realise we have cruises to pay for

Regards

keith

[Ray Scully]

Hi Ray

They are all trying it on one way or another. l received a call from our local branch of the Wildlife Trust a few weeks back asking if l could increase our subscription .....they must think we're made of money don't they realise we have cruises to pay for

Regards

keith

[Silver_Shiney]

My mum made a one-off donation to the Vulcan charity a few years ago. They've obviously sold her details to all the other military charities, because she's now inundated with calls and letters from them asking for a donation.

Selling donor details, or even customer details, without permission should be made illegal.

[barney]

I had a call in the week at work, from a guy saying he was calling from Kent Police about taking advertising space in the 'Kent Police Community Magazine'

I thought it odd as he had a scouse accent, so kept him chatting on the landline while ringing Kent Police on another line to check if it was for real.

As you could guess, it was a scam, there is no such magazine, so I told him that I had the Police on the other line and asked if he would like to chat directly to them.

CLICK ----- dead line ----- unfortunately our phones don't show the number it's coming from so there was nothing the Police could do, but it reckon it gave the guy a bit of a shock.

You've got to be so careful these days.

[oldbluefox]

I'm afraid I am losing patience with chuggers who accost you on the street or come knocking at the door. With the best will in the world you cannot subscribe to everything in the world whether it be to saving tigers and polar bears, finding cures for all manner of diseases, solving Third World problems or rescuing vulnerable children.

I must admit they are very persuasive and whilst I am capable of saying no I fear there may be many who will be taken in by the patois and commit themselves to something they cannot afford. It does tug at the heart strings but you cannot donate to every bucket or tin rattled in front of you and there does seem to be more and more of them. Maybe charities need to be more creative in their fund-raising.

Meanwhile there are always the unscrupulous ne'er-do-wells who will try any scam to part you from your money.

[Stephen]

Just tell them to p**s off and go and haunt somewhere else............that's what Juliet tells me to say....I would never say anything like that myself

[Silver_Shiney]

Meanwhile there are always the unscrupulous ne'er-do-wells who will try any scam to part you from your money.

You mean that nice lady from Nigerie, dying from cancer, who's got $150,000,000 and wants my help to get it out of the country is pulling my chain?

[Meg 50]

Meanwhile there are always the unscrupulous ne'er-do-wells who will try any scam to part you from your money.

You mean that nice lady from Nigerie, dying from cancer, who's got $150,000,000 and wants my help to get it out of the country is pulling my chain?

yup, and the one that tells you that your best mate is stranded in Croatia having had their wallet nicked

[Ray Scully]

heard the story about the gentleman accosted by one of these chuggers who said he was collecting for god. The gent asked him how old he was, 23 was the reply, well said the gent I am 77 so I will see him before you so I will give it to him myself.

Ray

[oldbluefox]

There was a chap in Blackpool whose mother had died three times and each time he needed money to get to Preston for the funeral. Muppet!!!

[Silver_Shiney]

There was a chap in Blackpool whose mother had died three times and each time he needed money to get to Preston for the funeral. Muppet!!!

I used to work with a girl who got posted to another unit and her line manager phoned mine to ask how many grandmothers she'd lost. Between the two line managers, this girl had had eight grandmothers die on her....

Anyway, we're getting way off topic.

There seems to be a concensus that the RSPCA is becoming more and more political, and less about actual care of animals. I don't know how true that is.

[oldbluefox]

There are some charities which are awash with money whilst meanwhile, other smaller charities struggle even though they are equally deserving. I prefer to donate to these fringe charities. The fact they do not employ chuggers makes me more inclined to give.

[Meg 50]

I'm inclined to agree - I have been involved in a fair number of charity collection and have always tried to find a small, local one where they can tell me exactly what the money will be spent on...

Far rather that than our comparatively small donation ( a few 000s praps) will be put towards new carpets for HQ

[Silver_Shiney]

Our charity gives out at least 125% of donations and we don't do any sort of fundraising. I can well understand the frustration of donors who see their gifts going on headquarter buildings etc.

[oldbluefox]

.................. or to bolster a Chief Exec's salary.

[Silver_Shiney]

.................. or to bolster a Chief Exec's salary.

quite so

[Kendhni]

A few years back I pretty much cancelled all DD payments to charities and I refuse to set any up simply because of the amount of begging letters and phone calls I was receiving. Even doing some of the online surveys, I take part in, I ensure that I show no interest in donating to any charity (otherwise the phone calls start again). I now limit donations to those I can make anonymously ... either by putting money in a tin (Marie Curie, Hospice, animal charities) or via a relative that works for a charity (poverty ... overseas).

Annoyingly I am finding more and more charities sending representatives around the doors trying to get me to sign up for a DD ... no hope!

[Silver_Shiney]

Good to see you back, Ken.

I think this is the mistake my mum made - giving them her name and address. While anonymous gifts protect you from future unsolicited contact, it does, however, mean that the charity can miss out on Gift Aid, unless it can demonstrate "single" gifts of less than £20.

[david63]

Annoyingly I am finding more and more charities sending representatives around the doors trying to get me to sign up for a DD ... no hope!

I agree but I can also see it from their side - they do have to raise money one way or another to continue what they are doing.

One objection I have to those knocking on the door (apart from the fact they are far too cheerful) is that some portion of anything that I was to donate will be going to them

[Kendhni]

Good to see you back, Ken.

I think this is the mistake my mum made - giving them her name and address. While anonymous gifts protect you from future unsolicited contact, it does, however, mean that the charity can miss out on Gift Aid, unless it can demonstrate "single" gifts of less than £20.

Hi SS, that, I am afraid, is the price charities have to pay for the number of 'nuisance' letters they send out. Fortunately my relative is able to claim back gift aid .. while keeping me off all mailing lists.