Hi long time lurker first time posting.

I have an issue I would like the collective brains here to cast an opinion on this.

I responded to a local facebook campaign for a charity donation for a child who is ill and needs to be sent abroad for life saving treatment.

I donated a generous sum via their just giving page .

I have since discovered that the parents of this child own many properties and are asset rich to the tune of about 10 times more than that needed for the life saving cure.

I’m not really sure how to feel, whilst I originally assumed they were poor or at least only as well off as an average person, this discovery makes me feel slightly conned (I admit conned by my own assumption). I guess if it was my child then I would sell some of my assets to save her life and not need a charity campaign.

I think I tend to feel generous to the needy, but I’m not sure why my money should go to support someone who could easily afford it and hence does not need my charity.

What do you ladies and gents think?

I’d probably feel aggrieved too. Are you after your money back or something?

Be prepared for narky “person conned in false charity shocker” comments.

It’s great that you tried to help and horrible to hear the greediness and ill priority the parents hold for their assets. It’s a privilege to own a single property, to own numerous is decadence. How long have they been waiting? Are they not prolonging the problem by not pulling their finger out?

Name and shame so other’s don’t fall into the same hole!

If that’s really the case, how likely do you think it is that the whole thing is a scam in the first place?

Maybe you could share the Facebook page?

EDIT: 😳

I think I would feel the same… :o/

How dare you come on here telling me to be nice! 😉

I’m not after my money back, I gave it, so its gone. I hope the child gets the treatment and recovers.

I don’t think its a “scam” as such, because I know of the family and the story through friends, so I do not really want to name and shame, as I do know the child is very ill. I guess I just think it’s a bit cheeky to ask for money when you have access to plenty.

I have been told about the assets by other parties, including some very, very close to the child’s parents, but I do not have verifiable proof that these assets exist. I think, and hope, that there is a good reason why they haven’t liquidated their own assets as yet.

Id still feel scammed, but its worth pointing out that gross assets is not the same as net assets. If they’re in debt to the hilt and stuck with properties all in negative equity they dont really “own” any more assets than you and no more able to fund the treatment without charity than a person owning no property.

Id still feel scammed, but its worth pointing out that gross assets is not the same as net assets. If they’re in debt to the hilt and stuck with properties all in negative equity they dont really “own” any more assets than you and no more able to fund the treatment without charity than a person owning no property.

This is a really good point and given the current state of affairs is actually a reality for a good many people, myself included. I’m trying to sell my flat (which I’ve owned for six years and bought before I met my partner) and would at this point, happily take a £30k loss on it if I could just get an offer!

Stoner, it is a good point and might be the reason why..
Might dig a bit further.

Was it a campaign for ‘charitable donations’ or a campaign by a registered charity?

If the latter then presumably it is bound by the usual legislation and is basically a legitimate charity irrespective of the wealth of the people involved. If the former then I’d have very cynical suspicions as to exactly where that wealth came from.

Hi, btw, welcome aboard.

It is through a charity/trust arrangement, which I have no doubt is totally above board. To be honest, after Stoners point about their assets maybe in negative equity I feel a bit ashamed for even posting without finding out more. I shall find out more.

I feel a bit ashamed for even posting without finding out more. I shall find out more.

Gawd, don’t feel back about that.

I regularly get emails from the golf course where I play pleading to attend expensive charity events for the golf club owners niece – he’s one of the richest people in the North East so you’d kinda think he could dip in a bit himself.

Don’t feel ashamed, it’s good to ask questions. Look at it this way, by discussing it in public you might well later be helping someone else in the same boat.