Bogus charity collections.

[Twin Towers]

Bogus charity collections. What can be done about them?

This scam has been going on for years and must be damaging the credibility of legitimate charities yet the Gardai seem to do nothing about them. As the collectors are going from door to door it could not be too difficult to apprehend them and unravel the gangs.

If you go to a site like Tradekey you can see container loads of donated used clothing "sorted" and "unsorted" being sold for €1000 per 1000 kilo and blatantly stating that it has been collected from doorsteps.

[Odyessus]

Bogus charity collections. What can be done about them?

This scam has been going on for years and must be damaging the credibility of legitimate charities yet the Gardai seem to do nothing about them. As the collectors are going from door to door it could not be too difficult to apprehend them and unravel the gangs.

If you go to a site like Tradekey you can see container loads of donated used clothing "sorted" and "unsorted" being sold for €1000 per 1000 kilo and blatantly stating that it has been collected from doorsteps.

Most people really couldn't care less. They are usually just happy to get rid of unwanted clothing. I would think it is the legitimate charities who should be concerned.

[Twin Towers]

Most people really couldn't care less. They are usually just happy to get rid of unwanted clothing. I would think it is the legitimate charities who should be concerned.

Yes, but it has reached the point now where legitimate charities are having to buy "donated" clothing from these gangsters to stock their shops. Seems to me to be a very easy racket to break up yet it's thriving and literally bringing crime to your doostep.

I've had two leaflets since last week both with bogey mobile numbers and one with a fake charity ID. The leaflets are invariably put in letter boxes prior to 7am to avoid the thieves being seen and confronted.

[elfatih]

if people want to get rid of unwated clothes then drop them into the local clothes recycling bank, stop feeding these criminals

[Twin Towers]

if people want to get rid of unwated clothes then drop them into the local clothes recycling bank, stop feeding these criminals

Not an option anymore either. Romanian gangs have been putting very small children down the chutes of those clothing banks to steal donated clothing. One child even got stuck inside and had to be rescued by Dublin fire brigade.

[candi]

It is said that what they are doing is not illegal. There was a programme on RTE about this some weeks ago. At least they are not in bed at 7am in the morning.

This is the result of a lost opportunity by the "legitimate" collectors.
They were too choosy about what they got and did not see the commercial side to taking everything.

When a householder goes to the trouble of sorting out clothes they want to get rid of everything. If a charity takes everything the householder will choose the charity over the opportunists.

[jrar]

It is said that what they are doing is not illegal. There was a programme on RTE about this some weeks ago. At least they are not in bed at 7am in the morning.

This is the result of a lost opportunity by the "legitimate" collectors.
They were too choosy about what they got and did not see the commercial side to taking everything.

When a householder goes to the trouble of sorting out clothes they want to get rid of everything. If a charity takes everything the householder will choose the charity over the opportunists.

Our area is plagued with these - not a week goes by without a sticker dropping in the door purporting to be from some legit charity collecting clothes for Chernobyl victims or some obscure African re-clothing scheme.

Despite saying it to a lot of my neighbours, a lot of them seemingly couldn't be arsed bring them to the local Mrs. Quin or Sue Ryder charity shop etc. preferring instead to contribute to these criminal gangs.

Whilst what they do may not be illegal per se, surely there is a case to be made for deception at least when they quote bogus charity reg. numbers or non-existent charity schemes ? Invariably, on the day of collection, a white or blue unmarked Northern-registered transit will do the rounds and collect all bags left out.

Some weeks there is literally a collection on 3 days out of 5 weekdays - they must think we do nothing around here but buy new clothes every week and discard the old ones !

[peader odonnell]

Most people really couldn't care less. They are usually just happy to get rid of unwanted clothing. I would think it is the legitimate charities who should be concerned.

Yes ,everyone knows they are a scam ,i get at least two leaflets a week through the door ,just glad to get rid of my rubbish ,dont give them good stuff . the genuine charities have the coathanger symbol or their leaflets but i havnt seen one for years.

[peader odonnell]

Yes ,everyone knows they are a scam ,i get at least two leaflets a week through the door ,just glad to get rid of my rubbish ,dont give them good stuff . the genuine charities have the coathanger symbol or their leaflets but i havnt seen one for years.

The local charity shops are mostly staffed by outsiders now ,quiet casual and sometimes rude in their manner ,many of them paid of course.

[Vega1447]

The local charity shops are mostly staffed by outsiders now ,quiet casual and sometimes rude in their manner ,many of them paid of course.

"Outsiders" - you mean you have seen though our disguise?

We lizard-folk have been disguising ourselves as bored middle-aged do-gooder housewives for decades.
How dare you expose our scales? (And damage our sales?)