This morning's sticker is headed 'Used and Unwanted Clothing Collection'. It was pushed through the letterbox before any of us was up. It's the unwanted clothing scam again, this time one we haven't seen before.
OK, so you put your unwanted stuff in a bag and leave it out the day they mention. They take it away. And you have no idea what happens next.
What has just happened is theft: the scammers behind these clothing collections sort and sell the clothes. The better stuff goes to second-hand shops; the rest to east Europe or 'third world' countries — where it is sold for profit, not donated to the needy.
And wait a sec' — you could have taken this bag of clothes to your local recycling centre, where it could be used by a real, registered charity. Rehab is the commonest one at recycle centres. Or you might have taken it to an Oxfam or Vincent's shop, same result. But you put it outside your door, for convenience sake, so you've just helped the scammers steal income from the charity you would otherwise have given it to.
That's what it is: THEFT. And it happens only because enough people use these bags.
At least three different leaflets, some with plastic bags, some without, come through our door each week. Greystones has a population of 16,000. How many people are fooled by these scams, if it's worthwhile for the scammers to return to our community several times a week, every week, right through the year? How much income do legitimate charities lose as a direct result?
Don't put out these bags. Recycle them instead. Take a little trouble: bring your unwanted clothes to a charity shop.
Want to know more? Lots of info on these scams here and here and here
Oh, yes; this morning's leaflet had an Irish registered company number, 391256. I checked it on www.cro.ie and another company search site and found this:
A private limited company with its registered office at a residential address. No claim to be a charity, no. Just a straight-up declaration of intent to sell your clothes in a shop. And it's been dissolved.... Typical.
OK, so you put your unwanted stuff in a bag and leave it out the day they mention. They take it away. And you have no idea what happens next.
What has just happened is theft: the scammers behind these clothing collections sort and sell the clothes. The better stuff goes to second-hand shops; the rest to east Europe or 'third world' countries — where it is sold for profit, not donated to the needy.
And wait a sec' — you could have taken this bag of clothes to your local recycling centre, where it could be used by a real, registered charity. Rehab is the commonest one at recycle centres. Or you might have taken it to an Oxfam or Vincent's shop, same result. But you put it outside your door, for convenience sake, so you've just helped the scammers steal income from the charity you would otherwise have given it to.
That's what it is: THEFT. And it happens only because enough people use these bags.
At least three different leaflets, some with plastic bags, some without, come through our door each week. Greystones has a population of 16,000. How many people are fooled by these scams, if it's worthwhile for the scammers to return to our community several times a week, every week, right through the year? How much income do legitimate charities lose as a direct result?
Don't put out these bags. Recycle them instead. Take a little trouble: bring your unwanted clothes to a charity shop.
Want to know more? Lots of info on these scams here and here and here
Oh, yes; this morning's leaflet had an Irish registered company number, 391256. I checked it on www.cro.ie and another company search site and found this:
| ADONAY LIMITED | |
| Key Company Details | |
| Registered Company Number | 391256 |
| Incorporated Date | 21/09/2004 |
| Registered Address | 48 COOLGREENA ROAD BEAUMONT DUBLIN 9 |
| Company Type | PRIVATE LIMITED BY SHARES |
| Current Status | DISSOLVED |
| Principal Company Activity | RETAIL SALE OF SECOND-HAND GOODS IN STORES |
A private limited company with its registered office at a residential address. No claim to be a charity, no. Just a straight-up declaration of intent to sell your clothes in a shop. And it's been dissolved.... Typical.
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