So last week, I'm walking out of Office Max on my way to drop off my applications for graduate school when I get flagged down by a guy selling stuff on behalf of CPEA, a children's charity. I'm in a hurry, but I felt charitable, so I gave them $12 for a crappy travel mug. I didn't think anything of it until my girlfriend and I were walking out of Food-4-Less today (a store that is specifically aimed at low income people--predominantly Latinos in the area). Another representative of the same organization approached us, and I didn't say anything, as the sales girl seemed to be talking mostly to my girlfriend. She agreed to purchase of a set of crayons for a local Boys and Girls Club. Alarm bells went off, however, when she asked to pay with a debit card and they made a copy of the whole card, including the number on the back. After we left, we checked the receipt, which turned out to be from not CPEA, but a marketing firm named Nicoco Internationl. We learned at this point that a mere 5% of the proceeds from this company's crappy second hand merchandise goes to CPEA.

Frustrated by this obvious false advertising, we decided to explore the matter further by looking up the company online. One of the first hits we got was Ripoff Report. Various people had complained about this company's business practices and marketing. Immediately, my girlfriend called her bank and canceled her debit card; who knows what these scam artists might use it for?

I was pissed off for any number of reasons, perhaps most of all that I may never trust people asking for money for charities. If I want to donate to charities, I think I will just have to do it directly. If anyone asks me for donations from now on, I'll just have to say, "I'm sorry, but I've been burned in the past. If you let me know what charity you work for, I would be happy to look them up myself."

Fortunately no damage was done, but this left a very bitter taste in my mouth, and I'm making it my mission of the week to expose these bastards for the frauds they are. Caveat Emptor.

Yep. As a rule, never ever donate to a charity until you google them. The Washington Sec of State has a really good database on charities. http://www.charitynavigator.org is also a good place too look. If you ever get a phone solicitation from a charity, tell them to hold on while you check your finances. Google them while they are holding. I've had some good fun that way.

If somebody on the street stops you and asks for a donation, ask for some literature and make sure it has web address listed. Then do the research before donating.

If the charity solicitor isn't good with this, then you don't want to donate through him. A reputable charity should and would have zero issue with you taking a day or two AND doing some checking first. In fact, reputable charities WANT you to do this because when you get ripped off, so do they!

Which is why you should only give money to POAC.

The PIRGS and certain environmenal groups use paid door to door solicitors, many of whom are students or activists who make their living as a percentage of funds raised. While I understand that there are a bunch of scumbags out there, I just wanted this to be known, so that we might consider this before shutting them down at the door.

edit to add: but feel free to shut them down if you've given your entire charity alotment to POAC.

I had one here recently who would not take no for an answer. I had to shut the door in his face in the end. I don't respond well to hard-selling bullies at my door!
I don't donate in the streets either, beyond buying regular copies of The Big Issue (a magazine sold by homeless people who get to keep 100% of the proceeds after the initial outlay for their stock).

Some of the collectors we get over here can be really pushy and aggressive. I'm a polite person who always likes to show respect, but some of these people push me to my limits!
I decide what charity and I decide when! Grrrr!

Donating in the street = giving money to panhandlers with a system

OK, so I just got called by "Vietnam Veterans of Iowa" and googled them while they were on the phone with me. The charity doesn't even exist. I asked them them again if that is who I'd be making the check out to. hay said yes, so I made a pledge. We'll see what I get in the mail.