Chuggers, something to watch out for. How is the best way to safely make donations?


What are chuggers??  I didn't know until just a little while ago just how much money small towns are losing to Chuggers.

Chuggers is a made up word, its a shortened term for Charity Muggers!  

We have all seen them, we have just finished our grocery shopping, feeling a bit broken by how much it all costs us.  Outside the supermarket well dressed, educated young people ask us to donate to any number of charities.  We have little cash now so they have a heap of documentation for you to fill out.  They also wander up and down the street approaching people, as many as they can stop.

The charities of choice can vary but often seem to be places like the SPCA, Barnados, Greenpeace and Amnesty International.  Don't get me wrong these are all wonderful charities, but this is not how to donate to them.  

They tend to aim for $80 per month or $20 per week.  

Their chosen way of payment is by direct debit.  They "sell" this as a way to make payments easy and you won't forget.   

I come across a heap of people who have signed up for these payments.  Often they feel pushed into signing up.  They find out a few months later that they truly cannot afford this payment and they try their best to cancel.

Because Chuggers are always working on the street, or outside the supermarket, we do not know where their office is.  Nine times out of ten the original paperwork has been lost by the donor.

If we try to cancel the direct debit at our end, the bank will advise that you must cancel it with the company you signed the document with.  

The bank cannot cancel the payment!

When we try to find the place that holds the direct debit authority it is near on impossible.

You will get stuck with paying this amount, in fact, the company that owns the direct debit authority can change the amount the payment is, and the frequency!  You have signed over your authority to do this when you fill out the original form.

Don't get me wrong, if you know of a place you want to donate money, find the website of the company concerned and make a donation, once, not an ongoing donation.  Then you know that your money is going to the main office of the charity you are donating to.  You know as much of it as possible is going towards that organisation and the great work they are doing.

Be really careful signing documents with anyone in the street.  Popping money in a bucket is a much safer option.

The other issue with Chuggers is so much money is leaving small towns and going to outside organisations.  Please try to donate to local charities where you can, to keep our local money-go-round working to support all of us.

Have a wonderful day everyone and continue to donate to charities, they need us.  Make sure you do it wisely.  

Look after yourselves and each other out there.  Feel free to share, follow, comment and/or like my blog.  Have a wonderful weekend!

 

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