Is this a scam or a real charity?

[essexeddie]

In Medino today and was stopped by a couple of guys wearing red tops with white cross on the back asking to buy raffle tickets for hungry children, At€2.50 a time.
They were all friendly at first but changed when I refused.
Is it a scam?

[essexeddie]

:raspberry2:In Medino today and was stopped by a couple of guys wearing red tops with white cross on the back asking to buy raffle tickets for hungry children, At €2.50 a pop.
They were all friendly at first but changed when I refused.
Is it another scam?

[bulldog]

the Red Cross are working the whole island right now I,ve seen them in Calle Castillo
in Santa Cruz ,yes I bought some the receipt is genuine ,the change of attitude would
have been disgust!! ,I agree with them .How can you be scammed for 2.50 euros!!
get real!!

[kathml]

Get a life they're the good guys !!

[Addick]

Get a life they're the good guys !!

Scam or not, if someone comes away from an encounter with these chuggers feeling like it might be dodgy then they aren't a great advert for whoever they may be selling tickets.

[primrose]

Get a life they're the good guys !!

Are they? I will not answer my door anymore unless I know who it is, they aren't good guys when two of them stand over you and ask, no demand 50 or 100 Euros and won't go till you give them something,There have been many complaints about them in these Apartments because of their threatening attitude.

[LUCKY]

In Medino today and was stopped by a couple of guys wearing red tops with white cross on the back asking to buy raffle tickets for hungry children, At€2.50 a time.
They were all friendly at first but changed when I refused.
Is it a scam?

For 1 euro and 2 minutes of your time . you can help a :feret:
:feret::feret::feret::feret:

This could be !

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/scam

[lynnangela]

In Medino today and was stopped by a couple of guys wearing red tops with white cross on the back asking to buy raffle tickets for hungry children, At€2.50 a time.
They were all friendly at first but changed when I refused.
Is it a scam?

There are so many scams going around its hard to tell who is and who isn't. How are you to know if they are genuine or not? Ive had them at my door asking for €50, I gave them €10 and was glad to pay them off to get rid of them. I guess if they are selling raffle tickets for a small amount then its more likely to be genuine, but even so, how do you know? and how do you know its not a distraction to make you get your wallet or purse out?

[DJ Dangerous]

I'm lucky.
When anybody asks me for money, I show them a card and ask them for money, and they just turn away.

[kathml]

They normally carry identification and in Medano at least normally work the bars and cafés where they are known I've never seen them being anything but polite but when they ask if I'm English I always explain no I'm Scottish and find we have a lot in common

[primrose]

They normally carry identification and in Medano at least normally work the bars and cafés where they are known I've never seen them being anything but polite but when they ask if I'm English I always explain no I'm Scottish and find we have a lot in common

Then you haven't met the bullies who come in this Complex who are so friendly when you are giving them money but the last time they came I had no money in the house and they turned so nasty I ended up getting my change jar out and giving them the money that was in there, he looked at the money that was in his hand about seven Euros and just rolled his eyes and said he would come back on Monday when I had been to the Bank and game me 2 supposedly raffle tickets that were two dirty bits of purple paper with a number printed on didn't look official at all, there were three all together two came in my apartment although I didn't ask them in and one stayed outside,It is time the Red Cross stopped their bullying tactics as they won't get another penny off me.They might carry ID but the way they go about getting money is so wrong.Nobody should feel threatened by people collecting for Charity and there are three of us on this thread that have felt the same.

[Norm de Plume]

Why do they need to operate in pairs?

[tfs1]

sadly we are now conditioned to query these type of requests and go with great caution as so many similar types are scams and the people are only after your money and/or try and distract you and steal from you.

Carrying ID means nothing as it could be their bus or library pass they wave in front of you !

If we want to give we do it when we want to and not when someone asks, however nicely !

[primrose]

sadly we are now conditioned to query these type of requests and go with great caution as so many similar types are scams and the people are only after your money and/or try and distract you and steal from you.

Carrying ID means nothing as it could be their bus or library pass they wave in front of you !

If we want to give we do it when we want to and not when someone asks, however nicely !

They had full red cross uniform on and I have actually seen a Photo of the one that demands money stood next to a Policeman at an event,so what shocks me the me the most are the tactics that are being used by the Red Cross to get people to donate.

[AL JAY]

the Red Cross are working the whole island right now I,ve seen them in Calle Castillo
in Santa Cruz ,yes I bought some the receipt is genuine ,the change of attitude would
have been disgust!! ,I agree with them .How can you be scammed for 2.50 euros!!
get real!!

I wouldn't give them a Cent,to say how can you be scammed for such a small amount is playing right into their hands! Lets say they get 2.50 euro's off 100 people per day,thats 250 euro's,not bad for a days work!

Charities are bombarding our TVs at the moment and also on the streets,very little of what you give goes to help people,it is swallowed up by expenses etc

This thread has also shocked me by reading that they become aggresive and say they will come back next week when you have been to the bank! No decent Charity would act like that!

Also it is easy to make identity badges and raffle tickets to fool the masses,they all sound dodgy to me,has anyone ever won anything? No i thought not! Do the tickets have a date and a venue on of when the prize is drawn?

Seems very much like a Scam to me! Lining their own pockets by praying on gullible people and using extortion tactics! They will be giving Scratchcards out next...Ooooh Scratchcards in Tenerife,What next :whistle:


Some may be genuine but if there is no date or venue on the ticket i would be very wary!

[Sundowner]

I don't know if it is a scam or not.

What I do know is the Red Cross chief executive gets paid £184,000 a year.

They won't be getting my money!

[fonica]

If you do decide to donate please don't give them your telephone number,I was pestered/hounded for months having donated in the street and given them my phone number. They kept calling and insisting that I made a regular donation by standing order as this was the only way they could guarantee a service.They were really aggressive in their manner and I'm no push over but in the end I threatened them with a denuncia if they continued to call.I haven't donated since and now prefer to help local charities like Helping Hands where Liz Montague who runs the charity doesn't take a penny in wages and does a huge amount of good locally.

[primrose]

If you do decide to donate please don't give them your telephone number,I was pestered/hounded for months having donated in the street and given them my phone number. They kept calling and insisting that I made a regular donation by standing order as this was the only way they could guarantee a service.They were really aggressive in their manner and I'm no push over but in the end I threatened them with a denuncia if they continued to call.I haven't donated since and now prefer to help local charities like Helping Hands where Liz Montague who runs the charity doesn't take a penny in wages and does a huge amount of good locally.

Is this the Red Cross you are talking about?

[fonica]

Is this the Red Cross you are talking about?
Sorry,Yes it is.

[primrose]

Sorry,Yes it is.

Then that is how they obviously raise their money by using bullying tactics. Just glad it isn't only me that has had a problem and now I know what to do if they come to my door again I will threaten them with a Denuncia.Thanks Fonica never thought about doing that.Have to agree with you about Liz Montague what a great job she does.

[Medman]

Unfortunately this seems to be the way many so called charities operate these days, although I have never experienced the apparent aggression that appears to be prevalent in some of the above posts.

I'm sure if we all knew exactly how much of the our donations actually reach the intended beneficiary then we would be more likely to donate. But the current trend of high paid "employees" (not to mention thugs) just gives the whole charity "industry" a bad name, which is unfortunate for and detrimental to, what we believe to be the more genuine charitable organisations. IMHO

[Suej]

In the UK I used to have an official Cancer McMillan collection box on my counter! when other chuggers came into the shop asking for donations for their charity I just used to say "I'll put some money in your box if you will put some in mine" they normally left the shop red faced and without donating a penny! :whistle:

[Jabba43]

I never give anyone anything, they can growl if they want makes no difference for me. Too much of charity money gets eaten up in administration and I have seen so many scams on the internet that I made the decision last year never to donate anywhere ever again.

[primrose]

I never give anyone anything, they can growl if they want makes no difference for me. Too much of charity money gets eaten up in administration and I have seen so many scams on the internet that I made the decision last year never to donate anywhere ever again.

Sad, but I think you are right.

[Medman]

Sad, but I think you are right.

Just another indication of the general decline in decency in our World ...:angry:

[primrose]

Just another indication of the general decline in decency in our World ...:angry:

Is there any decency left when Charities are Bullies and the people that run them are living in luxury with the money given to help the needy.

[Ecky Thump]

I never give anyone anything, they can growl if they want makes no difference for me. Too much of charity money gets eaten up in administration and I have seen so many scams on the internet that I made the decision last year never to donate anywhere ever again.


Just another indication of the general decline in decency in our World ...:angry:

If anyone was to visit The Ayrshire Hospice where people who are entering their final days of life through terminal illnesses and see the way that both the patients and families are dealt with compassion and dignity and love, then I think and hope that more folk would give to these charities.

[Red Devil]

Thank God there are charities, yes some are poorly run but you cant lump them all together. There would be a lot of suffering in this world without them, for animals in particular.

[Medman]

If anyone was to visit The Ayrshire Hospice where people who are entering their final days of life through terminal illnesses and see the way that both the patients and families are dealt with compassion and dignity and love, then I think and hope that more folk would give to these charities.

Agree Eric; I've experienced first hand exactly what you are speaking about. I always give to Ayrshire Hospice. My mother was a day patient during the last weeks/months of her illness and ironically enough she always looked forward to going to the Hospice on a Monday. She was collected and returned by an unpaid volunteer in their own car, and had a great time playing cards and quizzes along with a wee dram tea & scones and a right good blether. The down side was that unfortunately every time she went, some of her friends had passed away. Certainly IMHO one of the genuine charities. I suppose when you actually see what they do, it makes it more tangible.

[Ecky Thump]

Agree Eric; I've experienced first hand exactly what you are speaking about. I always give to Ayrshire Hospice. My mother was a day patient during the last weeks/months of her illness and ironically enough she always looked forward to going to the Hospice on a Monday. She was collected and returned by an unpaid volunteer in their own car, and had a great time playing cards and quizzes along with a wee dram tea & scones and a right good blether. The down side was that unfortunately every time she went, some of her friends had passed away. Certainly IMHO one of the genuine charities. I suppose when you actually see what they do, it makes it more tangible.

Again I have to agree with you and I am also speaking from a personnel experience of seeing my best pal spending his last few weeks of his life there.

The bright side of my post was when I was with him on his first day there and one of the staff asked him what he would like to drink after his evening meal, she gave him the normal offer (as I thought) of tea or coffee, which he said he didn't drink, she then asked if he would prefer a glass of wine, again he refused and said that he didn't drink wine....
Then she asked Jim if he liked a small dram and o'boy did his eyes light up when the offer of "Glass of Grouse" was made, I think that with this alone his pain and suffering subsided.;)

[junglejim]

If anyone was to visit The Ayrshire Hospice where people who are entering their final days of life through terminal illnesses and see the way that both the patients and families are dealt with compassion and dignity and love, then I think and hope that more folk would give to these charities.

Therein lies the scandal that these places are run by charities and external support and are not mainstream NHS for those that choose a hospice !
Several of my family work in NHS ,including MacMillan and it's ridiculous that they spend valuable time fund-raising rather than treating patients in their final days .

[bulldog]

I wouldn't give them a Cent,to say how can you be scammed for such a small amount is playing right into their hands! Lets say they get 2.50 euro's off 100 people per day,thats 250 euro's,not bad for a days work!

Charities are bombarding our TVs at the moment and also on the streets,very little of what you give goes to help people,it is swallowed up by expenses etc

This thread has also shocked me by reading that they become aggresive and say they will come back next week when you have been to the bank! No decent Charity would act like that!

Also it is easy to make identity badges and raffle tickets to fool the masses,they all sound dodgy to me,has anyone ever won anything? No i thought not! Do the tickets have a date and a venue on of when the prize is drawn?

Seems very much like a Scam to me! Lining their own pockets by praying on gullible people and using extortion tactics! They will be giving Scratchcards out next...Ooooh Scratchcards in Tenerife,What next :whistle:
the draw ticket I bought in the busiest street in Santa Cruz ,always with a police present
is genuine the draw date is 28th.Feb 2014 you have 90 days after that to make a claim
the cost was 2.50 euros, I no nothing about charities politics if some of it gets to feed hungry children I,m happy
you can check your number at www.cruzroja.es/tenerife
I,m sorry to hear about people who have been bullied by the Cruz Roja Espanola you must
make a complaint to them there address is SAN LUCAS 60 SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE
phone no.922 282924

[Ecky Thump]

Therein lies the scandal that these places are run by charities and external support and are not mainstream NHS for those that choose a hospice !
Several of my family work in NHS ,including MacMillan and it's ridiculous that they spend valuable time fund-raising rather than treating patients in their final days .

Funding within the NHS is acknowledged by most people as a major problem, but we never had and never will see the days when there is enough money in a single pot.
I would foresee that there will be a constant growth in both charities and private sectors within the health sector, so I don't see the word "scandal" as fitting in.:dontknow:

[junglejim]

I don't agree Ecky , as long as we can fight faraway wars ,pay for a useless Trident and other wastes , NHS will go short .
You're entitled to your opinion though !

[Ecky Thump]

I don't agree Ecky , as long as we can fight faraway wars ,pay for a useless Trident and other wastes , NHS will go short .
You're entitled to your opinion though !

That's exactly what I have said....there is not enough money in the system for 100% funding of the NHS, so unfortunately other agencies are needed.

[essexeddie]

All I wanted to know, was it a scam. I don't need people to tell me to get real or get a life.
I have a life thank you but don't like to be pestered by others who could be scammers.
So much of it around now days, I don't give my hard earned money to any Tom **** or Harry that just comes up to me. If I did I wouldn't be able to spend five months of the year in Tenerife:wink2:

[Westminster]

I stopped donating to the British Red Cross when I discovered in a newspaper article that the CEO was paid £174,000 pa.

Many executives of UK charities are on mega salaries.

[AL JAY]

the draw ticket I bought in the busiest street in Santa Cruz ,always with a police present
is genuine the draw date is 28th.Feb 2014 you have 90 days after that to make a claim
the cost was 2.50 euros, I no nothing about charities politics if some of it gets to feed hungry children I,m happy
you can check your number at www.cruzroja.es/tenerife
I,m sorry to hear about people who have been bullied by the Cruz Roja Espanola you must
make a complaint to them there address is SAN LUCAS 60 SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE
phone no.922 282924

Your ticket and sellers seem genuine enough bulldog, its just that some in the South seem to be using harassment and bullying tactics to get people to part with their money, the Red Cross do a fantastic job worldwide but im sure they would not be happy if they realised some of the tactics that are being used to obtain donations to raise funds as mentioned by other forum members in this thread!

In the O.P it was mentioned they had Red Tops with a White cross,thats what initially made me doubt that they were genuine,surely it should be the other way around?

[bulldog]

All I wanted to know, was it a scam. I don't need people to tell me to get real or get a life.
I have a life thank you but don't like to be pestered by others who could be scammers.
So much of it around now days, I don't give my hard earned money to any Tom **** or Harry that just comes up to me. If I did I wouldn't be able to spend five months of the year in Tenerife:wink2:

it would not be a scam the Cruz Roja have a station in El Medano.I,m guessing the hungry
little children are,nt quite hungry enough YET for you ,enjoy your nice life!!

[primrose]

it would not be a scam the Cruz Roja have a station in El Medano.I,m guessing the hungry
little children are,nt quite hungry enough YET for you ,enjoy your nice life!!

Well perhaps the Cruz Roja should educate their members that they would get more money if they did not intimidate the people that they rely on to fund their Charity.Why should I be afraid to open my front door in case it's the bully from the Red Cross.There would be less hungry little Children if the Red Cross changed their attitude when collecting for them.

[bulldog]

Well perhaps the Cruz Roja should educate their members that they would get more money if they did not intimidate the people that they rely on to fund their Charity.Why should I be afraid to open my front door in case it's the bully from the Red Cross.There would be less hungry little Children if the Red Cross changed their attitude when collecting for them.

have you denounced them ? its quite an easy procedure I,ve posted their address and phone number on an earlier post

[deepdivejunkie]

Charities are bombarding our TVs at the moment and also on the streets,very little of what you give goes to help people,it is swallowed up by expenses etc



And the CEO's of these charities drive around in Jaguars, Mercedes' or BMW X5 cars.. Where do they get the money to buy these?
Just a thought

[Ecky Thump]

I stopped donating to the British Red Cross when I discovered in a newspaper article that the CEO was paid £174,000 pa.

Many executives of UK charities are on mega salaries.

Large charities have to employ top professional people and pay the wage to suit, they are responsible for the millions of pounds that we entrust them with, not only do they have to distribute the money, but invest it for the future of the charity and the people that they employ.
Unfortunately the old saying comes into play........Pay peanuts and you get a monkey!:)

[Red Devil]

And the CEO's of these charities drive around in Jaguars, Mercedes' or BMW X5 cars.. Where do they get the money to buy these?
Just a thought

I understand what you are saying but.... If, for example, the running costs of the RSPCA is 30 million a year to pay a salary to hundreds of inspectors, run a 24 hotline, house abandoned/cruelty case animals and prosecute people you can hardly expect a volunteer, or even someone who earns a bog standard wage, to run it efficiently. You have to pay a commiserate salary to have the suitably qualified people who then generate the income.

[Margaretta]

Primrose, I'm so glad that you related your experience and the original poster too. I was in the apartment, answered the door and a very large Red Cross representative pushed me backwards his face almost in mine. I had no idea who he was at first and thought the orangey-red uniform was that of a workman but I was instantly afraid and panicked by his shouting and menacing attitude. I tried to understand what he was shouting with his breath in my face and me stepping backwards with him getting further and further into the apartment. Fortunately my husband turned off the noisy taps in the kitchen and heard the rumpus. He came out to see what was happening and being a bit bigger than the interloper sent him off in no uncertain verbal terms. There were two others outside. I was very shaken, not usually a limp lily, and then became frightened in case it had been a burglar and they would return or be watching the apartment. Imagination ran rife. It was some days before we found out who they were and that they were legally allowed to enter our complex. We do give to private causes and will not be harrassed into giving.

[deepdivejunkie]

People in these positions should realise they are working for a charity which relies on donations, fund raising etc. You dont need an expensive flash car, just cos your the boss. A ford escort will get you from A to B just the same as a Jag

[primrose]

Primrose, I'm so glad that you related your experience and the original poster too. I was in the apartment, answered the door and a very large Red Cross representative pushed me backwards his face almost in mine. I had no idea who he was at first and thought the orangey-red uniform was that of a workman but I was instantly afraid and panicked by his shouting and menacing attitude. I tried to understand what he was shouting with his breath in my face and me stepping backwards with him getting further and further into the apartment. Fortunately my husband turned off the noisy taps in the kitchen and heard the rumpus. He came out to see what was happening and being a bit bigger than the interloper sent him off in no uncertain verbal terms. There were two others outside. I was very shaken, not usually a limp lily, and then became frightened in case it had been a burglar and they would return or be watching the apartment. Imagination ran rife. It was some days before we found out who they were and that they were legally allowed to enter our complex. We do give to private causes and will not be harrassed into giving.

Thank you Margaretta for your post,, I was beginning to wonder if I had made the experience worse than it was, sometimes the more you think about something the worse it gets,but your post could have been written by me and it made me re-live it over again, that was the one thing I didn't mention was how big he was and how intimidating he was as he was so close towering over me and wouldn't take no for an answer and they haven't just been the one time and that is why I will not open my door. Not a lot frightens me but they certainly did to have someone stood over you while you go in a cupboard to get a jar out to give them the change that was in it because you are so frightened it is like being mugged.

[essexeddie]

it would not be a scam the Cruz Roja have a station in El Medano.I,m guessing the hungry
little children are,nt quite hungry enough YET for you ,enjoy your nice life!!

Thanks I will, I take it you have paid up then?


.

[chifleta]

it would not be a scam the Cruz Roja have a station in El Medano.I,m guessing the hungry
little children are,nt quite hungry enough YET for you ,enjoy your nice life!!

yup, it's just that sort of passive aggressive bully boy attitude that gets peoples backs up..

- - - - - - - - - - merged double post - - - - - - - - - -


Primrose, I'm so glad that you related your experience and the original poster too. I was in the apartment, answered the door and a very large Red Cross representative pushed me backwards his face almost in mine. I had no idea who he was at first and thought the orangey-red uniform was that of a workman but I was instantly afraid and panicked by his shouting and menacing attitude. I tried to understand what he was shouting with his breath in my face and me stepping backwards with him getting further and further into the apartment. Fortunately my husband turned off the noisy taps in the kitchen and heard the rumpus. He came out to see what was happening and being a bit bigger than the interloper sent him off in no uncertain verbal terms. There were two others outside. I was very shaken, not usually a limp lily, and then became frightened in case it had been a burglar and they would return or be watching the apartment. Imagination ran rife. It was some days before we found out who they were and that they were legally allowed to enter our complex. We do give to private causes and will not be harrassed into giving.

that's awful... I have a spyhole, but even when I open the door, I always make sure I have my foot planted firmly behind it and only open the door a couple of inches ... I don't trust anybody nowadays.

I only donate items or foodstuff nowadays, at least I know it will get where it needs to locally.

[kathml]

Aye these Johnnie foreigners who don't speak English are not to be trusted. Lol

[primrose]

Aye these Johnnie foreigners who don't speak English are not to be trusted. Lol

Would you be laughing if you were one of the people that had been bullied by them,what is wrong with you that you find bullying tactics to get money funny.Read the thread again because you are obviously not capable of understanding it by just reading it once.Would you have been laughing if a British person over 6feet tall and about 15 stone barged there way into your apartment and demanded money from you and wouldn't leave till you gave them something,NO you would have called the Police, I really don't know what your problem is with the British but it seems like every time somebody posts any thing against the Spanish/Canarians you have a go at them.

[Margaretta]

Kath and Bulldog, I think you are making rather quick judgements. You know nothing about which organisations Primrose and I donate. The whole thing is about the bullying. I may sound a wimp but I was genuinely afraid and would probably have screamed if my husband hadn't appeared. It was like a sudden attack. Primrose felt the same and Chifleta is very guarded at her door. I'm sure all three of us have a knowledge of Spanish and probably much more. It wasn't the language, it was the approach. The 'JF' implication is rude and old-fashioned and has nothing to do with the actual reason for this thread. It sounds like Primrose and I were shockingly intimidated by the same person.

[essexeddie]

It was their attitude that annoyed me. When I declined he started calling me names in English and Spanish. Someone else could have felt intimidated.
I have never known a country with so much hassle with this sort of thing.
You sit outside a bar in the town and its constant hassle every few minutes. Who needs it?

.