Charity text donation collectors in town! Argh!!!

[Kayano]

I was stopped today by a collector who launched into their speil. I listened an nodded with the intention of donating a few quid by text... Says she 'isn't one of those who wants your bank details' ok great. I like one off donations because I already donate etc...

She ends with
'so will you help by sending a £3 text?'

Yes certainly... whips out phone and opens messages

Just starting to send and she says 'it's a monthly ongoing donation and you can stop by sending....'

To which point I say
'I thought it was a 'three pound text dOnation?' (echoing her words)

Her 'well... Ongoing'

Me. 'that's not what you initially said and I am happy to make a one off donation but not to subscribe automatically'

'well you can't donate once'

'well I can't donate sorry.' and off I flounced. I really felt like she had tried to deliberately deceive me!

AIBU to be pissed?

No. YANBU

It's a charity, they should be happy with any donation they get no matter how small or how infrequent.

I find it's generally the bigger charities that get snippy with you.

The fact she made a point of saying we don't need bank details the way she did implied it was a one off

And the. The 'help with a £3 text'

The money still comes
Out of my bank and it 'wasn't just a £3 text'!

It really rubbed me up the wrong way! It's just so sneaky!

There's been loads of coverage about this sort of thing in the Telegraph recently (sorry to admit to reading it ) - next time it happens, ask them for their name and say that you have been asked to make a report for the Telegraph .

These chuggers drive me mad. One of them said to me once "oh I can see I have wasted my time, you quite obviously hate children, don't you?".

!

No that's awful! They lure me in with 'what a cute baby' then dig their claws in and I just can't be rude URL

just a bitch on the Internet

Dp says 'sorry I don't like children/old/homeless/animals'

YANBU. I avoid these annoying collectors like the plague.

Saying we don't need your bank details does not imply that its a one off. It just means they don't need a bank order, which they didn't.

Actually it sounds like you were quite rude to someone with a shitty badly paid job who stands in the rain all day getting told to bugger off. Nice.

I avoid them completely. They are told to use whatever tactics they can to get your number.

www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9367193/Charities-ditch-street-chuggers-after-Sunday-Telegraph-investigation.html

Actually, it doesn't sound like what PenisVanLesbian suggests at all. You were remarkably polite to someone trying to lie and manipulate you!

How on earth was she rude, Penis?

Some of those people are remarkably rude. I think their training must include how to piss people off and manipulate them because I haven't come across one who actually seemed genuine.

She assumed things and then blamed the other person, and by the sounds of it was very snippy, and "flounced". Thats rude in my book.

They should all fuck off.

They are on commission and it's a very bad way to give money to charity because of all the commission/middle men.

I fail to see how the OP was rude - the chugger was certainly underhand, and a lie of omission is still a lie.

YANBU

I think it is sneaky to not be 100% honest about it, because whilst they aren't lying they aren't telling the whole truth. YANBU

Penis: They aren't shitty paid jobs compared to most, some of the best paid jobs around for students and people trying to save with no experience elsewhere really! DP does 'warm calling' for charities (calling people who've expressed an interest in the charity) and gets over a £1 more than min wage an hour. I know a lot of people who do charity work on the streets seasonally (between other seasonal jobs) and they make £7+ an hour plus commission and a lot of them have started offering accommodation at cheap rates too for seasonal workers.

YANBU. I think that's awful - when you were willing to give three pounds, you are being generous and to then try to trick you into giving more leaves a really nasty taste, doesn't it?

It's silly because although obviously huge donations are great for charities, an awful lot of money still gets collected in small (willing!) donations by people who are happy to give a little.

Who says it was a "lie of omission"? Sounds to me like OP assumed something for no good reason and then got shirty blaming someone else for their mistake.

But good to see everyone kicking the min wage "chugger" as if they are automatically wrong.

I said I can't donate sorry.

She was being sneaky saying just a £3 text!

I was not rude to her at all. I stood there for ages listening and was quite prepared to donate once!

Erm ... no .... the OP offered to donate 3 pounds. The key words being 'offered' and 'donate'. She didn't 'get shirty', she was told she had to donate more or nothing, but the person who'd stopped her to ask. That is very rude.

I will point out quickly that those on £7+ an hour are returners, most seasonal chuggers are on min wage with commission as who returns to chugging usually? It's a good way to make money if you're attractive good with the general public.

The collector did not state until the OP was about to send the text that it was NOT a simple £3 text, but a monthly outgoing.

They are two very different things, and it's plain that the chugger knew this; which is why it wasn't mentioned until then.

That is deceitful, and a lie of omission.

As a rule of thumb, if you sign-up to an ongoing donation on the street, your first 11 MONTHS of donations will go to pay the chugging company (the charity collection markting company) fee. So if you sign up on the street, keep your direct debit in place for at least TWO years if you want to make a decent contribution. Though of course, you would be better off donating directly to the charity.

RichTeas that is shocking! I did not know that!

I work at a charity and we use the text to donate thing. You can donate just the once, the fundraiser did not explain properly. I'm horrified that she didn't explain up front, that's out of line.

Yes Kayano it is shocking. If more people knew how charity fundraising worked, they would be more careful about HOW they donate, and even to whom they donate. Some charities spend so much of their funds on admin (their own salaries offices etc) that only a small portion gets to the needy.