To think many fell for the Captain Tom scam

[Binjob118]

I never understood all the fuss about Captain Tom. A rich old man walked around his garden and was lauded as a hero. Family then go on freebie holiday to Barbados whilst rest of us were locked down for Christmas. Then it turns out he was part of family scam to pay the family from book proceeds. No wonder so many people in this country are targeted by scammers, we are a gullible lot.

Sorry clicked too soon.... "Astonishingly at my age, with the offer to write this memoir I have also been given the chance to raise even more money for the charitable foundation now established in my name. Its goals are those closest to my heart, with a mission to combat loneliness, support hospices and help those facing bereavement - all in the wake of the unprecedented crisis we found ourselves in. I am so deeply honoured to be given yet another opportunity to serve the country of which I am so very proud."

There were many posts on the daughter and her intentions while it was happening and they got shouted down. In that she saw an opportunity and took it.

Didn't really follow the story at the time, nor the aftermath with the scamming family.

I wouldn't class Tom Moore as a hero, nor worthy of a knighthood. The only outstanding factors were his age and his military service. Don't get me wrong, he did a good thing raising money for the NHS, however the cynic in me thinks why is the NHS in such a state that charities have been set up to provide additional funding. I also remember questioning at the time whether some of that money will be given to private healthcare providers that are contracted to see NHS patients (some of which likely having Tory donors in their upper echelons).

I put the whole thing in the same category as clapping for the NHS - a fad that sheep jump on because some people have to do something that others are doing. Just like panic buying loo roll, pasta and other bollocks that went on during the pandemic.

But as I said, I'm a cynic and can be a miserable bastard at times.

I think the money went to supporting staff. Not directly into services.

@crumblingschools Its clear what the Charities Commission is investigating. The initial raising of money was not a scam. The inquiry is into the Ingram Moores involvement with companies and how this impinged on the charity due to trade mark agreements etc. If you look at the Charities Commission website, you can see their statement. Any other views are conjecture.

Who on earth would have bought his book if they hadn’t thought the money was going to charity? Surely even the most ardent flag shagger isn’t that interested in reading the life story of some unremarkable elderly old bloke who became famous for walking about his (massive) garden during a global pandemic?

I'm seeing an awful lot of copies of his book in charity shops now, in pristine condition.

I think my concerns began when asked about his bucket list, top of the list was a holiday to Barbados. Really? A 100 year old ex-army veteran is desperate to go on a tropical beach holiday in the middle of a pandemic. That very trip then led to his death. It’s both ironic and worrying no one thought to pull the family up on it.

Getting knighted was really what tipped it over, yes a lot of money was involved but some people work voluntarily their whole lives to support charities. He literally walked round his garden.

There were many posts on the daughter and her intentions while it was happening and they got shouted down

Yeah, this. For all the people saying "oh riiiight, of course you knew beforehand it was scammy and now you're just trying to look clever" etc, plenty of us did express valid concerns about it at the time and were promptly told to shut up, stop being mean, and were shouted down as if we were some kind of cartoon villain who just wants to hate on the elderly. If someone is asking you to give them your money, its not out of order to question where it is going for goodness sake!

Hideous wasn't it. Maybe because I'm getting older but I found it all so patronising, pat the old boy on the head and tell him what a good boy he is. I don't generally swear but I'd have told them to fuck off.

I was quite proud to have never given a single penny to Captain Tom.

Many reasons, but mostly my own finances! I was furloughed, and ONLY JUST keeping my head above water financially. Charity began at home for me!

And also, his daughter irritated me no end. Beaming all over her face, LOVING the attention.

The money given did go to the NHS. The Charities Commission says so. Whether it wax well spent is another issue. The Captain Tom Foundation is another aspect of this but the original money went to
the NHS. So not a scam. The Ingram Moore’s and how the charity was run is another matter.

Flag shagger 😂😂😂😂

Whilst not a scam, I’m surprised this isn’t being looked at more closely too.
The Middletons’ business collapses with debts of £2.7 million meaning suppliers, other small businesses and individuals are out of pocket (and possibly struggling as a result) yet they continue to live in a £4.7 million home.

Isn’t there a moral obligation to to perhaps downsize to a £2 million house and pay back the people they owe money to, rather than walking away - especially if they’re so concerned about “protecting their daughters reputation”?

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/royals/kate-middletons-parents-retire-to-31376969.amp

@BonBon10 > '... by the time I was allowed in the carehome wearing a mask, gloves, apron a covid test before and on the doorstep, I was a stranger to him.'

So sorry to see that about your dad Bon Bon.

Limited liability companies are set up so personal money is kept separate from business money. It's very very standard. If you have a problem with the middleton's then you'll have to take the same position with just about every single self employed person you know who has a business

Who bought their large house anyway? Was it them? Or William? For security reasons as K&W are there a lot.

Exactly. Why should the fact that he raised £37m for the charity mean that any other earnings should also go to said charity. That argument implies that someone who raises money for charity is not allowed a personal income and that any such income not donated to the charity must be the result of a 'scam', which is clearly nonsense. Wasn't there a will - surely he didn't die intestate?

Wrong thread?

@CesareBorgia Read the comments by @JohnPrescottsPyjamas snd @brokenhearted2 . I was responding to these comments. I agree they derail the Captain Tom thread though as it’s not relevant!

Apologies @TizerorFizz - I must have missed those comments somewhere along the line!

conflating the Captain Tom scandal with Brexit is a stretch.
It did buy into the whole covid cultist lockdown agenda which most on Mumsnet were eager to promote

Yes mn was very keen

Many now pointing to the gov, but they were driving it on their own pretty confidently

Whenever someone tries to scam me, phone call, online whatever, I always wonder who are the idiots who fall for this? Clearly the same people who gave this dude money.

@UnfriendMe

The money Tom Moore raised from his walking was not a scam. It went where it was intended to go. The Charity Commission have confirmed this as has the NHS charity who received the money. Repost from earlier this month

"Article from yesterday's Independent

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/captain-tom-where-did-the-money-go-b2445393.html

"But the facts are presented clearly. Reassuringly, for example, all of the money that Captain Sir Tom raised for the NHS on his walks went to the United NHS Charities, because the boss of it says so, and points to the equipment, mental health facilities and other projects it continues to support. That was the crowdfunded cash, and nothing to do with the Captain Tom Foundation that later ran into such trouble (and which has now ceased to take donations)."

My bolding."

This is true, however it doesn’t mean it wasn’t a pretty well orchestrated scam in other ways, one which had HUGE personal benefits to the family. It was picked up by the media as ‘naive little old man felt compelled to do something to help his country in unprecedented times so walked around his garden in his war medals to raise a few hundred quid for the nurses’ and he never expected any of this fuss.
It was clear from the get go his daughter was orchestrating the whole thing, and was absolutely primed to turn it into the huge circus it later became (although quite whether they expected it to go as insane as it did is anyone’s guess). The family milked the old bastard completely dry with the number 1 single, the (unnecessary) autobiography, the knighthood and the freebie Barbados holiday as well as waving at the plebs at Wimbledon! It was very well stage managed from
the off, and they were bleeding every single penny out of it they could. I am glad they’re getting their comeuppance.