Rogue Charity Collectors

camsnan

camsnan

Well-Known Forumite
Came across a Stall erected outside Boots yesterday claiming to be a Registered Charity for Injured Servicemen. They had a Placard with a Registered Number on it. Hubby recognised it to be a Company Registration Number not a Charity Registration. A quick Google had it listed as a Business Address in Stoke. Hubby tackled them they said they were a non Profit making Company! Laughable. We went to the Police Station to report them. The Police Station is now run by Civilians who are paid to get rid of you. Despite our request to speak to a Police Officer which was ignored we were given a Leaflet to Report it to Action Fraud On Line. We checked the Rogue Stall again but they had fled the scene, gone! Surely someone within the Council check these Street Traders? Seems like anyone can pitch up a Stall in Stafford and claim to be a Registered Charity. Just wanted to warn everyone to be careful who you donate to in the Street.
 
HopesDad

HopesDad

Don't feed the troll
I never donate to anyone in the street, for exactly that reason. I have a number of direct edits set up to give regular donations to charities I support.
 
camsnan

camsnan

Well-Known Forumite
That's good to hear Hopesdad. Please advise everyone you speak to, to do the same.
 
John Marwood

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
camsnan said:
Came across a Stall erected outside Boots yesterday claiming to be a Registered Charity for Injured Servicemen. They had a Placard with a Registered Number on it. Hubby recognised it to be a Company Registration Number not a Charity Registration. A quick Google had it listed as a Business Address in Stoke. Hubby tackled them they said they were a non Profit making Company! Laughable. We went to the Police Station to report them. The Police Station is now run by Civilians who are paid to get rid of you. Despite our request to speak to a Police Officer which was ignored we were given a Leaflet to Report it to Action Fraud On Line. We checked the Rogue Stall again but they had fled the scene, gone! Surely someone within the Council check these Street Traders? Seems like anyone can pitch up a Stall in Stafford and claim to be a Registered Charity. Just wanted to warn everyone to be careful who you donate to in the Street.
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Excellent detective work

Did you take a picture?




Re police - People voted for all this didn't they....
 
proactive

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
camsnan said:
Came across a Stall erected outside Boots yesterday claiming to be a Registered Charity for Injured Servicemen. They had a Placard with a Registered Number on it. Hubby recognised it to be a Company Registration Number not a Charity Registration. A quick Google had it listed as a Business Address in Stoke. Hubby tackled them they said they were a non Profit making Company! Laughable. We went to the Police Station to report them. The Police Station is now run by Civilians who are paid to get rid of you. Despite our request to speak to a Police Officer which was ignored we were given a Leaflet to Report it to Action Fraud On Line. We checked the Rogue Stall again but they had fled the scene, gone! Surely someone within the Council check these Street Traders? Seems like anyone can pitch up a Stall in Stafford and claim to be a Registered Charity. Just wanted to warn everyone to be careful who you donate to in the Street.
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You need to approach the relevant section of the council AND Trading Standards about this. It needs to be taken very seriously.

Top marks to your hubby's powers of observation!
 
Gramaisc

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Really?

Really?

Well-Known Forumite
Registered by guarantee so a "not for profit" company. Registered address is another address in Stoke. If I wasn't a cynic I may say it could just be ignorance of the difference between a not for profit and a charity. Still doesn't excuse the charity claim though.

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S

Sir BoD

Well-Known Forumite
camsnan

camsnan

Well-Known Forumite
Thankyou for all your support and replies. All the information you have posted is correct, what my hubby Pete found. Another contact via FB also found that Chetwynd had another Charity called Wounded Heroes Ltd which was Compulsory Dissolved in 2015. The Present Company was conveniently set up in September in time for this Armistice Day. Pete has written to our local Borough Councillor. Will report to TS next week.
 
Steve_b

Steve_b

Well-Known Forumite
camsnan said:
Came across a Stall erected outside Boots yesterday claiming to be a Registered Charity for Injured Servicemen. They had a Placard with a Registered Number on it. Hubby recognised it to be a Company Registration Number not a Charity Registration. A quick Google had it listed as a Business Address in Stoke. Hubby tackled them they said they were a non Profit making Company! Laughable. We went to the Police Station to report them. The Police Station is now run by Civilians who are paid to get rid of you. Despite our request to speak to a Police Officer which was ignored we were given a Leaflet to Report it to Action Fraud On Line. We checked the Rogue Stall again but they had fled the scene, gone! Surely someone within the Council check these Street Traders? Seems like anyone can pitch up a Stall in Stafford and claim to be a Registered Charity. Just wanted to warn everyone to be careful who you donate to in the Street.
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Did you get a photo?
 
camsnan

camsnan

Well-Known Forumite
Have a photo of their Placard which shows the Company Registration Number. All there Company History is in the link posted by Gramaisc.

Have some good news the Rogue Traders have been banned from Trading in Stafford Town. The Stall/Market Manager has been told that they are not welcome here. We are just relieved that some action has been taken. Apparently the Business of using a Company as a Non Profit making enterprise is a bit of a grey area, it is not a Charity. Any monies raised are used for running costs. At the end of the Financial Year there should be no profit, any money generated has been dispersed wherever?
 
John Marwood

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
camsnan said:
Have a photo of their Placard which shows the Company Registration Number. All there Company History is in the link posted by Gramaisc.

Have some good news the Rogue Traders have been banned from Trading in Stafford Town. The Stall/Market Manager has been told that they are not welcome here. We are just relieved that some action has been taken. Apparently the Business of using a Company as a Non Profit making enterprise is a bit of a grey area, it is not a Charity. Any monies raised are used for running costs. At the end of the Financial Year there should be no profit, any money generated has been dispersed wherever?
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Sounds familiar

Ever heard of ...

Google
Amazon
Facebook
County Woodware
 
Really?

Really?

Well-Known Forumite
Sorry, but they are doing nothing illegal and can only be described as "rogue" if they actually are claiming to be a charity. Most charities begin their life as a not for profit company, ,i.e. a Company Limited by Guarantee. Every "Community Interest Company" is also a "not for profit" company. They are all entitled to run their business they way they see fit and there are dozens, probably hundreds of these so called "not for profits" in the area.

Personally I steer clear of all these companies and I include most charities in that - we all know how little of our donations actually go to the front line. We have a dozen national charities paying their chief executives over £300k a year and 32 of thme pay over £200k a year. It's all very easy to hide money and even with the "asset lock" in a CIC, it doesn't mean the people involved can't pay themselves whatever they want. Even our own House of Bread paid almost £50k in wages in 2015.

I am not disputing HoB and all the other charities don't do a great job and I believe all people should be paid for what they do. I do find targeted witch hunts distasteful and having seen the comment made by some ignoramus on Facebook I don't think it's wise to stir things up unless the whole story is told. The main question is - HAVE THEY ACTUALLY CLAIMED TO BE A CHARITY? If so, simple, that is fraud and is a criminal offence. If not, what is the issue?

Should you encourage them - probably not - you should inform yourself where you are spending, and giving, your money.

Should you single them out and hound them in a witch hunt - that's also up to you.
 
Gramaisc

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Really? said:
The main question is - HAVE THEY ACTUALLY CLAIMED TO BE A CHARITY? If so, simple, that is fraud and is a criminal offence. If not, what is the issue?
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I wasn't there and all this is therefore hearsay, but this is the text of the post that I saw on Facebook - "Found this lot in Stafford today. Two guys with a stall collecting for homeless ex servicemen. I approached and asked if they were a registered charity. Yes we are they said. I said on your sign is a company registration number the website does not work and the company is registered to John Chetwynd in Stoke on Trent. Company formed 16 Sept 2016.
Before I could do anything else they had packed up and driven off. I will leave you to make your own conclusions. I will be investigating further. Please feel free to share this info."

As you say, a lot of "real charities" are a bit suspect and people should know what they are supporting.
 
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