Charity Clothing Collection Scam
Sat, Jul 28, 2007
Do you have unwanted clothes that you would like to dispose of to make room in your wardrobe? Would you like to make sure they go to a worthy cause instead of being binned?
If so, you may have been tempted to bag them up and put them outside to be collected by someone who has put a leaflet through your door, just like the one below.
However, what you may not realise, is that ‘Third World Clothing Collection’, or ‘Europe Suppliers Ltd’ as they call themselves, are not a charitable organisation. If you look at the bottom of the leaflet you will see a company registration number rather than a charitable organisation one.
If you were to check out that company registration number then you would find it belongs to an altogether different firm, Warison Ltd, based in West Yorkshire.
Europe Suppliers Ltd is actually believed to be run by Lithuanians based in Ilford, Essex. Previously they ran an identical company called Lairatex Ltd.
Whilst collecting clothes to send to Eastern European countries is not illegal, their leaflets have deceived a great many people into thinking they are dealing with a charity.
I don’t know about this particular company but there have been many cases of firms like this keeping the clothes for themselves and simply selling them for a profit. They take the money and then disolve the company before creating another one and repeating the process.
The fact that Europe Suppliers Ltd quotes a phony company registration number is certainly suspect though, that’s for sure.
What is also interesting is the fact that they ask for more than just clothes - they’ll take jewellry, CDs, prams, perfume, bedding, mobile phones and even underwear!
Why exactly desperate people in the third world (and, by the way, when did Eastern Europe become classified as the Third World??) see mobile phones as necessities I do not know.
More than likely the purpose for this and most other similar leaflets can be explained by the following video clip -
Trading Standards seem to be either far too busy, or disinterested, to deal with these types of crooks. They do, however, offer a phone number for the Charity Commission who can verify a company’s charitable status - 0870 333 0123. They also recommend only making donations to well known and trusted charity shops.
I keep getting these but never realised they wern’t from real charities so thanks for pointing that out.
If the company does not claim to be a charity, there’s nothing that TS can do. The best way to combat this would be to spread the word and not to put clothing out and this will hopefully stop.
Actually, Trading Standards can act upon this, even if the company does not claim to be a charity.
When I read about Lairatex in Essex, the local officers had told them to cease their letter drops as they were misleading householders as they still ‘looked’ like they were from a charity.
Obviously it is questionable whether such leaflets are actually illegal - I doubt they are - hence why a friendly word was given rather than a prosecution made.
I would be curious to know where they stand in relation to quoting a false company registration number though?
You are right though, householders should read leaflets that come through their doors carefully and then make the choice as to whether to put the clothes out or not for these companies to collect.
I think you are being extremley biased about this because not all of these charities are scams. And like any industry there are bad apples but, the amount of good that the real charities do certainly outweighs the bad ones
As a worker with a recognised and registered charity i would point out that the collectors for Europe Supplies Ltd have stolen bags belonging to us from peoples doorsteps .
They are well known amongst registered charities in my area of the U.K as a bunch of crooks
E, I am not saying that charities are scams at all. You are right, registered charities do a great job.
It may be that Europe Supplies are benefiting people somewhere too for all I know, though perhaps John knows more about it than me.
Obviously, if someone is turning a profit with a company, at the expense of a registered charity, then that is just plain wrong isn’t it?
this week (8th oct) Europe Supplies have changed their name to Helpmates Limited. Same leaflet being used except they are no longer asking for mobile phones for people in Third World Countries but perfume and cosmetics are a priority!
Also,be aware of another suspicious so called charity. They are called Intersecond LTD,apparentely collecting for a breast cancer prevention programme. They give details of their website,www.donatdelay.org. Surprisingly it does not exist.
Both these organisations have company numbers NOT registered charity numbers.
I would just like to point out I have just received one of these leaflets through my door. I am currently looking for a charity who will benefit from a number of clothes I have from my children. I decided to look this organisation up on the internet and found your forum. I am pleased I did now! I will be telling the people in my area of the finding on this so called company. Every little helps.
Glad to be of service Angela.
the leaflets are know being dropped in the lincolnshire area, they are very cleaverly worded and all the detail they dont wish you to see ie about the company reg and NOT A CHARITY is in black writing on a navy blue background so it is very difficult to read.the company supposidly is LAIRATEX LTD and company reg no 5698510.i wont be giving ! Charities are fine but a company is a little bit cheeky.They are asking for Mobile Phones, pictures, small carpets, jewellery,perfumes, cd,s, dvd - sounds like a shopping list but they dont wont bric-a-brac or glass OH AND A CUDDLY TOY! yes it does say a cuddly toy.
The leaflet is very misleading, it says the clothes will be sorted and worn again, but no mention of the expensive items.
BEWARE AND CHECK OUT ALL LEAFLETS BEFORE YOU DONATE - I AM GLAD I DID !
Hi Ruth
How often are you receiving these leaflets in your area?
Unbelievably, I am now getting more than one a week, every single week, put through my door.
That would suggest to me that they are obtaining a good response level in my area.