Ticket sellers

Merch

I'm not 100% sure if this should be in this forum or not but I think its the most appropriate.

Its been a few weeks since it happened but its been in my head to ask in boards for opinions regarding this and how to counter scams

I was going into a convenience shop and was asked something by a person (clearly either selling/collecting for a charity) outside, I didnt quite hear her, but said Id get her on the way out.

On way out, I approached her, she wasn't Irish (some will say not an issue, but I could barely understand what she was looking for, I thought it was a charity donation)
I asked to see her ID which she had clipped at her waist, she kind of flicked it upwards for me to see, but before I could read it or verify who it was for, it was away again, so I asked again and same thing, I was as bit suspicious but assumed it was some kind of cultural disconnect,

I cant recal the "charity" now, if it was one, so I said ok , here's X (whatever change I had on me)
She said, No, No, 3 euro, which was for a ticket, I said look, i dont have 3 euro and went on my way.

I felt there was something dodgy about it, so
How can you check these things, like on the spot

I was thinking it would be good if, say using a smartphone, you could confirm said charity had the right person (photo online) at the right location, so a person donating/buying a ticket could be certain it is a legitimate operation.

foggy_lad

Let your local guards know and they can easily check the person out. Many of these collectors and also many of the beggars in rural towns like Carlow are dropped off early in the morning to stand outside the banks and post offices where they will sell more tickets or the beggars will get more people giving the bit of change they walk out of the post office with.

I give those paid collectors nothing regardless of their nationality. But donate to local charities regularly.

jor el

Several charities sell scratch cards, and they usually cost €3. Cancer Society, Wheelchair Association, Hanley Centre, to name a few, but there are more.

If you thought something was suspicious, why did you even give her money? No point in checking with the Gardai either, unless you know the name of the charity, and got the collector's name from the ID badge.

Merch

jor el wrote: »

Several charities sell scratch cards, and they usually cost €3. Cancer Society, Wheelchair Association, Hanley Centre, to name a few, but there are more.

If you thought something was suspicious, why did you even give her money? No point in checking with the Gardai either, unless you know the name of the charity, and got the collector's name from the ID badge.

I didnt give her money, I was going to make a donation and was looking for the coin box , but she saw what I had and said " No, No, 3 euro" as if thats all she could say.
At that stage I said I dont have 3 euro, which I didnt, but I wasnt going to change a 20, I felt it was a bit iffy.
As for checking with the gardai, thats why Im suggesting some other form of authenticating a seller is genuine, its easier for me to just walk despite being willing to give to charity, Badges need to be clearly on display and not just flicked in the general direction of the person requesting ID from the hip.
I not convinced the gardai will be that arsed about it

dudara

Merch wrote: »

I not convinced the gardai will be that arsed about it

They will be - all collections etc have to be licensed by the Gardaí.

Merch

well, Im not prepared to go through the rigmarole, if a charity cant introduce measures that can convince me they are genuine and in the process eliminating the chance for a fraud to collect on their behalf/using their name, then I'm not going to fund them, it needs to be something on the spot capable authentication.
Not me drag my arse to the gardai to get them to check (therby wasting garda resources that could be used on something else more life thresatening) when I could if the charity facilitated it, allow me to check on the spot. Its the main reason why I mostly dont give to charity at doorways, if I'm unconvinced they're the real deal, I wont part with a cent.