I hate chuggers and the way they give people the 'hard sell' to give to charity by signing up for a direct debit, when their real intent is to make money for themselves. I do on occassion however give to the DEC, Red Cross and other organisations online in response to specific appeals (although I've never like the fact that you can't donate online without supplying full contact details).
I've just been phoned by someone purporting to be from the Red Cross, but clearly a smarmy 'hard sell' salesman, trying to get me to sign up to a direct debit. He wouldn't take no for an answer and tried all sorts of combinations of amounts and time scales (£20 a month down to £12 twice a year). When he finally realised that he wasn't going to get anywhere I was told that he was obliged to inform me that he was working for a commercial company on behalf of the Red Cross etc. etc. and that their fee (I think he quoted £27,000) was dependent on the number of folk they signed up).
I feel really peed off that the Red Cross has handed on my contact details (the guy even knew the amount I'd donated) to a commercial chugging company and that I've been chugged in my own home. I know that charities have to fundraise, particularly in tough times like this, but I can't help thinking that this could backfire, I'm not sure I'll be so keen to support the Red Cross in future or perhaps any charity that requires full contact details off me before they'll take my money.
