Quote:
Originally Posted by PCH
Crikey,
it always surprises me why people give these dudes money. Are people too scared to say 'no' or what. I mean who cares if she knows someone in Adelaide who's lost her daughter. You did well to last 15 seconds Doug, that's about 14 more than she would have got from me - lol
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I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head Paul. Most people don't like saying no, particularly when given a sob story, as to say 'no' may mean you are uncaring, and nobody likes to think that people may see them that way. Personally, I don't give a toss what people think of me, so it is easy for me to say no. Even in shopping centres, collectors try to guilt you into giving, but I still so no. I just don't like being badgered into giving.
I always say 'no', even to those collecting for charities etc. I have even been accused as being uncaring, obviously as a bullying tactic, but I just respond that my donations are given directly, which they are. After all, I have no real way of knowing if someone is genuine or not. ID's can be easily faked using photoshop, etc. In fact, we were recently warned, in our local rag, about bogus charity collectors. Anyone can put a badge on and rattle a tin, doesn't mean that they are genuine, which really sucks for the ones that are.
But, it is a numbers game anyway. Ask enough people and you will get the response you expect.
Problem is that scammers are getting more and more sophisticated. So, when it comes to money, I believe nothing until I have verified it thoroughly, and even then some a getting really smart. I don't even respond to surveys. How do I know they are genuine and not just trying to collect info on me to steal my identity, which happens all too often.
But then, maybe I am just too cynical and have never been very trusting; after all, that is something that has to be earned anyway, and not given freely, in my view. Maybe I am even a little paranoid too, which is probably why I have never been scammed. For instance, I never put anything in the rubbish that has my name, or other identifiers, on it, as I shred everything personal, and with a cross schedder too.
