Bogus Charity Clothes Collections

louthandproud

Just wondering what peoples view or knowledge is of the used clothes collectors operating in Drogheda and other areas. Just noticed one of my neighbours leaving out a bag for one.

Do people know that they are bogus, i.e. not real charities?

Do people know that they are actually part of organised crime?

Do people know that the good clothes are sold on for personal profit and the not so good ones dumped in not so legal landfills?

Do people care? Or is it a nice convenient way to get rid of old clothes, and "sure they aren't doing any harm" sort of a thing?

There are valid places to give old clothes to charity, such as Council provided bring centres and charity shops.

bottomdog

The clothes are sold in Eastern Europe for profit, albeit for small money, and to people there who are struggling, which is nice, but it also damages retail trade in the countries where they are sent/ some of the clothes are collected by Northern Ireland religion cults. But several groups collect, so check them out,

The Guvnor

To speak in general terms and not my views:

• Do people know that they are bogus, i.e. not real charities?

• In most cases probably not.

• Do people know that they are actually part of organised crime?

• In most cases probably not.

• Do people know that the good clothes are sold on for personal profit and the not so good ones dumped in not so legal landfills?

• As above.

• Do people care? Or is it a nice convenient way to get rid of old clothes, and "sure they aren't doing any harm" sort of a thing?

• I would say a lot would not be overly concerned. Not all clothes collections are bogus.

This subject has more to do with charities in general than just the clothing collections. It can be hard to verify a registered charity. A CHN (charity number) does not automatically mean the charity is operating in the spirit of the sector.

You seem quite angry with the clothing collections in general?

I am sure you will find they are not breaking the law. Not very moral but not against the law.

Fingers Mcginty

really? :eek: (realting to the 4 rhetoricals)

straricco

I get on average 2 of these "charity" labels in my door every week. I have a no junkmail sign so they obviously don't consider it junk!! Or maybe they can't read.... They used to give plastic bags to be filled, which I used for my rubbish but now prob cos most peops did the same just stick a label thru my letterbox. I'm absolutely sick of it, definitley bogus charity, mobile no. on label isn't in service. They also deliver these labels really early in the morning, I'm talking 5am, in my opinion so they won't be seen!

I wouldn't even give them rags if I had some!! I go to recognised charity shops that I can trust.

Bigdeadlydave

Ok heres the low down....
All the "stickers" are illegal. They pretend to be charities but they're not(this is illegal). A sure fire way to spot them is that there is only a mobile number on the sticker/bag. They dont care if the clothes they get are rags, because they go straight to Belfast and are sold as rags to be recycled. Apparently a full van is worth the guts of 1000 pounds.
I did some work for a legitimate charity, Enable Ireland, and would deliver and collect their bags. Often many of our bags were stolen by these people. Not to be racist but they were always eastern European or Russian. Its sick that they trick people who believe they are doing good just to line their own pockets. Many times I would see them in their vans with our distinctive yellow bags in the back, and the police would be called. This has been on the Gerry Ryan show a million times and I think there was a crime time report too.

Bigdeadlydave

straricco wrote: »

I get on average 2 of these "charity" labels in my door every week. I have a no junkmail sign so they obviously don't consider it junk!! Or maybe they can't read.... They used to give plastic bags to be filled, which I used for my rubbish but now prob cos most peops did the same just stick a label thru my letterbox. I'm absolutely sick of it, definitley bogus charity, mobile no. on label isn't in service. They also deliver these labels really early in the morning, I'm talking 5am, in my opinion so they won't be seen!

I wouldn't even give them rags if I had some!! I go to recognised charity shops that I can trust.

Btw as a rule people who deliver things(usually in the rain) who trudge up your driveway, then see a "No junk mail" sign, will fire in multiple copies of what they are delivering. "No junk mail" signs are infuriating. Besides, how can you define "Junk mail"?

DundalkDuffman

Bigdeadlydave wrote: »

Besides, how can you define "Junk mail"?

Any mail that is unsolicited I would say. From the metro/leader freebies to the bogus charity stickers to the takeaway menus.

meoklmrk91

We at least one of these in the door a week. I have told pretty much everyone I know not to give clothes to them, I had one woman tell me that she didn't care she just wanted someway to get rid of the clothes and was happy to get it. As long as people continue to take that attitude this will continue to be a problem, if nobody was giving clothes then they wouldn't be getting anything out of it, so the labels would stop and the problems would be solved.

I think that people who aren't actually aware of the scam are actually a minority, it has been well publicized by now.

louthandproud

The Guvnor wrote: »

To speak in general terms and not my views:

• Do people know that they are bogus, i.e. not real charities?

• In most cases probably not.

• Do people know that they are actually part of organised crime?

• In most cases probably not.

• Do people know that the good clothes are sold on for personal profit and the not so good ones dumped in not so legal landfills?

• As above.

• Do people care? Or is it a nice convenient way to get rid of old clothes, and "sure they aren't doing any harm" sort of a thing?

• I would say a lot would not be overly concerned. Not all clothes collections are bogus.

This subject has more to do with charities in general than just the clothing collections. It can be hard to verify a registered charity. A CHN (charity number) does not automatically mean the charity is operating in the spirit of the sector.

You seem quite angry with the clothing collections in general?

Not angry but I'd prefer not to have these people coming into the estate where I live for one.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054966195&page=7

They are damaging legitimate charities capacity to raise money. A a result of their activities most if not all legitimate charities no longer collect in this way.

It isn't hard to verify legitimate charities in Ireland, these people use bogus numbers and usually UK mobiles. Easily checked out if anyone wanted to.

louthandproud

Fingers Mcginty wrote: »

really? :eek: (realting to the 4 rhetoricals)

that's a "really" and "I couldn't care less" then?

gipi

I can't remember the last time I had a genuine bag, sticker or flyer through the door requesting clothes - every one I get is a bogus these days.

When I have clothes to give away, I bring them directly to one of the charity shops in town. It's been known for clothes banks to be pilfered by the "non-charity clothes collectors" as well (RTE did a program on it about 18 months ago).

Stephentlig

gipi wrote: »

I can't remember the last time I had a genuine bag, sticker or flyer through the door requesting clothes - every one I get is a bogus these days.

When I have clothes to give away, I bring them directly to one of the charity shops in town. It's been known for clothes banks to be pilfered by the "non-charity clothes collectors" as well (RTE did a program on it about 18 months ago).

what shampoo and conditioner do you use? I'm guessing its head on shoulders right? :D

mr.moo

Enable Ireland (formally CPI Cerebral Palsy Ireland) were the first charity to come up with this idea of delivering and collecting the bags every 3 months. Their bags along with other legit charities such as Age Action and Barnardos clearly have charity numbers and landline telephones numbers.

Also Enable Ireland and Rehap were the first companies to have clothes banks in Ireland and Enable Ireland bought the banks of rehab. All these other clothes banks such as Teen Line, Clothes Line, Ispcc, Friends of Asthma are not charities, they are recycling companies (mostly from the north) who make a small (very small) donation to the above charities so they can use their names to scam money.

sparkles999

Hi, Friends of Asthma is a registered charity in the republic of ireland. Some of their fundraising does come from recycled clothing, but they also supply nebulizers / power breathers / oxygen machine use and other asthma related goods when needed. You really shouldn't tar everyone with the same brush - I agree there are a lot of scams out there, but Friends of Asthma isn't one.

Lord TSC

If you're going to be brave enough to run a scam collecting clothes, your hardly going to be scared of a sign that says "No junk mail"....