A serious (although light hearted) question re adverts asking for your money.

[Dave7]

A group of us were talking about the vast number of 'adverts'............particularly on sky TV........asking for us to set up direct debits for such things as Donkey charities, kids in Africa with sight problems, kids in ? with nowhere to sleep etc etc.
Now I realise that there really are a lot of these situations but............the question was raised................
if, for just a 3 month period, you agreed to subscribe to every single request.........what would it cost you per year. Would there be any possible way to check this??

Now, this was a genuine point raised. I don't want it to be a discussion of which charities are genuine (but feel free to make your point).

 

[classic33]

£3,000+ over a year. Sky currently have 50 charities advertising for between £5 & £10 per cause. Some more than once.

 

[PeteXXX]

Plus, possibly, even more once they’ve sold your phone number onwards?

 

[Globalti]

Don't even go there. Rich widows are driven to distraction by favour-seekers and beggars. In Africa, anybody who has money is also driven mad by them; a friend of mine in Lagos is presently receiving around 35 calls a day from somebody who is trsying to get cash from him. I don't know why he can't just block the number.

 

[Brandane]

Don't even go there. Rich widows are driven to distraction by favour-seekers and beggars. In Africa, anybody who has money is also driven mad by them; a friend of mine in Lagos is presently receiving around 35 calls a day from somebody who is trsying to get cash from him. I don't know why he can't just block the number.

The good news is that I have only just discovered that I am distantly related to a VERY rich Prince out there and he owes me a few favours as I am trying to unlock his fortune through my British bank account (it's just a technicality apparently). I will see what he can do with regards to your friend being pestered.

Re the OP and staying on topic - sorry but I don't give to any of these TV advertised charities. There are only so many causes we can give to, and I prefer more local based ones. It begins at home; as they say.

 

[Dave7]

Plus, possibly, even more once they’ve sold your phone number onwards?

Surely they wouldn't do anything as scrupulous as that..........would they? You have totally ruined my faith in humanity

 

[srw]

Surely they wouldn't do anything as scrupulous as that..........would they

Not if you've not given explicit permission.

 

[PeteXXX]

Like Facebook?

 

[jefmcg]

What you should never do is text £3 to give a "homeless person a meal"*. They do not use that money to feed a homeless person, they spend all of it (and more) on call centre staff to repeatedly badger you to set up a direct debit. If you don't do that, the organisation will end up slightly worse of than before you made your £3 contribution.

*that's just an example. I am pretty sure it applies to all ads that have "text to donate"

 

[jefmcg]

Like Facebook?

Facebook isn't regulated by the Charities Commission.

 

[Biff600]

It always amazes me that donkeys only get abused over Christmastime

 

[Brandane]

What you should never do is text £3 to give a "homeless person a meal"*. They do not use that money to feed a homeless person, they spend all of it (and more) on call centre staff to repeatedly badger you to set up a direct debit. If you don't do that, the organisation will end up slightly worse of than before you made your £3 contribution.

*that's just an example. I am pretty sure it applies to all ads that have "text to donate"

And if you DO set up a direct debit, you will receive periodic calls or letters thanking you for your current monthly payment, "but if you increase it to £x per month then we will be in a better position to do a, b, and c...."
I am not averse to giving to deserving causes but I CBA'd with the emotional blackmail bit, whether it be on TV, by e-mail, phone or whatever. I learned my lesson about setting up DD's so now I just go into a local charity shop (usually Cancer Research) and make one off cash donations. They will of course ask you to fill in a form with your details on it (errm, "for Gift Aid, sir") - but I decline and just say I wish to remain anonymous. Or give my name and NI number if they want to confirm that I am a UK tax payer for gift aid. As for street "chuggers" wanting me to set up a DD there and then, absolutely NOT.

 

[srw]

Facebook isn't regulated by the Charities Commission.

It is regulated by the ICO. From whom Cambridge Analytica are about to get a visit.

(Remember that Facebook aren't yet in the frame for anything other than naiveté.)

 

[pawl]

It’s agood source of information re funerals only of course if you’re thinking of cocking your toes.

 

[Tim Hall]

Re the badgering you to increase your Direct Debit, may I recommend Wateraid as a charity that doesn't do this? I've had a Direct Debit with them for several years. In that time I think I've had two phone calls.