To cancel payments

[Flutterbybudget]

I hate feeling this way, and I probably AM being unreasonable, but I signed up for a monthly donation to charity. I am being indundated with phone calls and emails, asking me to double the amount I donate. I don’t donate a huge amount, but neither do I have a lot that I can afford to donate either. I just want to block the emails, texts and phone calls, and tell them to get knotted tbh - but it’s a good cause

I’ve had a similar thing. Set up a monthly donation and was then pestered to increase it. I told them multiple times to stop the calls and emails, but they took no notice, so I cancelled it.

Why would they think you can go on increasing your donation, because I bet if you did increase it, they’d been on the phone again, asking for more.

Same thing happened with me, they were so pushy I cancelled the standing order and they rang again to ask why. I told them how aggressive they were, that was the last I heard from them.

This is very common, because you already pay a certain amount, they keep on at you to pay extra. Unsubscribe to emails and leave a message if you can that you are inundated with emails asking for more than you want to give.

Then why not block the emails and calls?

YABU

I had similar. Direct debit had been going out for years then, two years ago, I had an email out of the blue saying that times for the charity were hard, and they were therefore increasing my debit by £1 per month unless I got in touch. I am not sure that they could do this without my consent, but I emailed back and told them not to. Then last year had a further email, thanking me for my donations and asking me to increase them. I responded to the effect that if they ever asked me to increase my donation again, I would cancel the whole thing. And I will! I really hate being made to feel guilty (and I did) for not contributing enough.

This is why we refused donations to be made in memory of mil on her death/funeral. If people wanted to donate - then we asked that it was as a cash/cheque gift at an age uk shop to prevent this pestering. (Not through us or via the internet). The charities must spend a good chunk of donations on this hard sell for donations, and potential either lose a chunk of future donations and possible force vulnerable people to guilt donate when they really cannot afford to do so.
Its another reason I prefer to support charities with anonymous wanted physical donations like the food bank, or I’ll buy something from their charity shop.

I'd be saying 'as you clearly have enough money from donations to pay people to call me all the time, I'm cancelling with effect from now.'

The charities must spend a good chunk of donations on this hard sell for donations

I had to threaten Marie Curie with legal action to get them to stop calling me. Every day*, and no number left so I couldn't see who was calling. And I'd only made a one off donation to honour my mother. Result - MC will not ever get a cent of my money.

*yes, I know that was probably not a credible threat, but it worked.

I would send them an email and let them know your thoughts. They should welcome feedback if it will stop them loosing donators. If no improvement then yes I’d cancel.

When will they realise that these aggressive tactics won’t work.
It’s worse than the chugging they do on the street.

Very annoying - I’ve cancelled DDs to charities in the past for this reason. I don’t mind them asking once, but when I feel I’m being pressured to increase my monthly donation on a regular basis, I cancel my DD. I will not be made to feel bad/guilty for not giving more. I try to do my bit - they should respect that

I've cancelled a direct debit for a charity for exactly the same reason. If they'd not done it I'd have probably paid it forever!

Cancel your direct debit and block the calls.

Also register with the Telephone preference service. Charities shouldn’t make fundraising calls to you if you’ve registered with them. www.tpsonline.org.uk/register

There’s also the Fundraising Preference Service. Register with them to. Register with them and calls should stop within 28 days. public.fundraisingpreference.org.uk/home

I was so pissed off at Blue Cross. Did a one off donation to Ukraine appeal the they sent me membership card. I messaged them saying no - take me off mailing list. All it did was increase the mail to a begging letter each month with a skinny sad looking puppy on the front. Awful.

It makes me so cross that it's such a waste.

We donated to other charities as a one off like Red Cross and a diabetes one specifically for the Ukraine appeal and they haven't pestered us again.

I had something similar with the RNLI. I had a dd going for quite some time. Then I got a call out of the blue to double it early on Saturday morning. The caller sounded like a younger lad who was clearly pissed so getting him not to put it up was like arguing with a three year old.

Stopped the direct debit that day. I now only support charities through people who are doing something (run, cycle, bungee jump etc) rather than a dd.

Oh wow I've just filled this out! Amazing - thanks so much for the link!

Hopefully that's the last I'll hear from them

This is the one reason I refuse to set up a direct side it for a charity. They never leave you alone.

Maybe we could make a list between us of who does this and who doesn't to help us know where to donate?
Alzheimer's UK - one off large donation, not contacted again.
WWF - regular DD, not pestered.
Guide dogs - no calls, lots of junk mail.

Cancel it and tell them why. You should also share the charity!

@Waterlooville We have regular donations to smile train, both our universities, water aid, vision aid overseas, RNLI, national trust and five local wildlife charities and our food bank, none of which bug us - but then I always tick the box for no contact.

I stopped the plan-uk one as our child suddenly seemed to get several years younger and red cross was really bad at poking my MIL for donations.

I donate to SightSavers. They send the odd email/ newsletter type thing. No hassle, and no phone calls asking for more. Even if they did, I would have no problem declining their request, I give what I am able to.

Had a problem with Oxfam when my bank forgot to pay one month and I didnt notice. Told the woman who rang that I hadnt stopped it, it was a bank error and I'd sort it. She went on harassing me so I said right I will cancel it. Never given them anything since.

Amnesty international pestered me after a one off donation.

RSPB also bugged MIL to increase her monthly donation

Dogs trust don't pester after our annual membership fee (3rd party dog insurance)
World Horse Welfare also no pestering.