What to do when suspicious ?

lil_me

Looking for advice

I was asked today for a donaton to a charity supporting something I am very involved in locally in a supermarket. I had NEVER heard of this charity. The man collecting made me very suspicious and was unable to answer any questions I asked about how the charity supported what he stated etc.

When I got home I have checked on the charity commisions website and the charities leaflet which states the number has a similar name (not the same) and is registered at a different address

I have emailed the lady who runs the charity which according to the commissions website operates in a completely different area and not on a national basis.

The website address given isn't registered to this lady or anyone who lives near her.

Unsure what to do next, I know a good idea will be to wait and find out if this was legit and why I was told they work in my area (it definately looks like they don't and all the work I can find they do is several hundred miles away)

essexgal

Hi Lil_me

Was he near the fish counter.....'cos it sounds very sus to me. (sorry for pun)

I'd be tempted to ask the supermarket how it came about he was collecting inside there - presumably they gave him permission so they'd possibly be interested in the fact that it doesn't quite 'add up'. I'd wait until I'd heard back from the lady who runs the charity though - just in case it is genuine, they may have had an 'image upgrade' and changed their name slightly (unlikely but not impossible).

If it is a conman - hope he gets his comeuppance soon - people who rip off charities are the lowest of the low.:mad:

essexgal

Errata

Why not speak to the manager of the supermarket and show him the evidence you've picked up from the Charity Commissioners website? Explain your concerns and ask him to take steps so he can assure you, and any other customers, the charity is bona fide.
Do charities collecting in supermarkets need a licence from the local council?

marvin

Errata wrote: »

Why not speak to the manager of the supermarket and show him the evidence you've picked up from the Charity Commissioners website? Explain your concerns and ask him to take steps so he can assure you, and any other customers, the charity is bona fide.
Do charities collecting in supermarkets need a licence from the local council?

No its private property they need permission from the supermarket operator and they usually get a visitors badge if they have the supermarkets permission.

GiveItBack

Sorry, just to check I've got this right. The person collecting was for a charity with the name ABC, and the one you saw on the website is ABD? Did the number match up from his charity name and number, and wasn't there a phone number on the charity commission site?

My advice is always if you aren't sure then and there, don't give. If you then check it out and it's all good, send a cheque if you want. genuine charities rarely mind if you don't give then and there if you have genuine fears. But for this case, it would be quite brazen for someone to collect in a supermarket if he was faking it. Doesn't mean he was genuine tho.

Now since he was a long way away from where they seem to operate, my guess would have been a person affected by the cause, but that would mean he could probably answer questions, so it really doesn't add up.

Wait to hear from the lady you mailed, and then take it from there. Keep us up to date, too.

You could always put more details here, or Pm me directly for me to have a nosy too..

lil_me

I emailed the charity commison on Saturday aswell and someone rang me back today asking for details and a copy of the leaflet I got, seems they have their suspicions aswell. The person who runs the charity I have been unable to contact all weekend I have tried emailing and calling.

Email addy, website, telephone number, registered address etc all did not add up, none were the same. Trust me he didn't know enough about the condition to be effected personally.

I am not saying definately was not genuine as I don't know, but made me extremely suspicious. I did even go a little OTT and traced all I could about the website owner and other info I could find on them which I will also pass across.

Now this is being investigated properly I don't think it would be appropriate to disclose any of the details, just incase.

essexgal

Thanks for letting us know latest position lil_me.

Even if it turns out to be genuine (unlikely as it sounds) you definitely did the right thing in chasing it up. Charities are struggling enough as it is without con merchants stealing from them.

Look forward to hearing the final outcome when this matter is concluded.

essexgal

Casey1709

Sounds like you did the right thing. Well done.

Garnet_Gem

So many store and street collections now. I don't give unless it's for our local Hospice. Any other charity donations I make directly to the charities I have chosen.

Yogibear

Garnet_Gem wrote: »

So many store and street collections now. I don't give unless it's for our local Hospice. Any other charity donations I make directly to the charities I have chosen.

same with me,I witnessed in a quiet street in Edinburgh a lorry from The British Heart Foundation unloading donated furniture into a lorry backed up behind it from a second hand shop,I ran the BHF HQ but they said they would investigate it as this should not happen.