Ware Online Community Forum

Just noticed the mercury website says that there were fake Isobel Hospice collectors going door to door in Hoe Lane and also Hertford Heath last weekend. So remember to ask to ID if they knock on your door, and I suppose this could also be linked to the recent spate of burglaries.

No point in asking for ID - it will be faked and who knows what a genuine one would look like. In fact Isobel Hospice has said they never use door-to-door collectors, so anyone claiming to be from them should be immediately reported to police.

I treat all doorsteppers as crooks.

Having been a 'doorstopper' for RNLI we are not all crooks!

Mel wrote:Having been a 'doorstopper' for RNLI we are not all crooks!

Maybe a bit harsh I know, but doorstepping is no longer a reputable way of appealing to a client base. It's now the preserve of scammers and conmen IMHO. It's very disappointing that charities have not caught on to this, but then again they still see chugging as acceptable.

With some care, can I also point out that there have been a number of collections on the High Street recently for charities that - at best - could be described as 'opportunistic'. General guide - if you've not heard of them - be thoughtful.

It is relatively easy to set up a 'charity' and receive donations - we never think to check how much of what we give actually gets to do the work claimed. Costs deducted first from donations received include payments to the collectors (in many cases), and salaries to the executives of the charity, before any profit is passed to the work. Small indistinct charities like for children's cancer attract considerable instinctive sympathetic support, but it's not clear what happens to the bulk of the money. Cancer research needs organised and considerable focus, and the big cancer charities are generally the best placed to do so (though they too have significant infrastructure costs).

I'm not saying that the big charities are always the best - far from it - but caveat emptor applies equally to charity giving. But do please continue to give to what you know.

Just found this on Twitter so maybe not a fake and they do use door to door canvassers

@EHertsRrlPolice: We've arrived in Little Hadham, we've had dialogue with @IsabelHospice and this is a legitimate canvaser. The caller had CCTV we've checked.

However I also take the approach of never signing up for standing orders or direct debits on my doorstep. If they are legitimate they will leave a leaflet or details for me to make a decision at my leisure (That's if I open the door at all)

Unfortunately, many charities have chosen to engage "professional fundraisers", whose practices can lead to extreme results ...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... death.html

I never respond to professional fundraisers and chuggers (who earn commission). I always give to charities directly through the Charities Aid Foundation.

it's a long time since I did doorstepping and collecting with a tin in the High Street. It is a thankless task to be honest. I don't like being asked to sign up to standing orders and never do either if I'm asked in the High Street or on my door step.