NEC Dive Show - dodgy charity collectors

[Bog Snorkeller]

At the London Dive Show earlier this year, "The Wounded Warrior Project UK" had a few pushy collectors dressed as squaddies, collecting for wounded servicemen. >The Wounded Warrior Project UK< are decidedly dodgy, and the Dive Show obviously hadn't specified that these collectors need to be a registered charity.

You will spend a lot of your time this weekend running the gauntlet of charity collectors. There's every chance that the Dive Show's vetting of NEC exhibitors will be just as lax as it was in London, so do yourself a favour and make a few inquiries before handing over your hard-earned to anyone. If you've never heard of them and they haven't got a tag with a charity ID number, they may still be legit, but I'd want a few questions answered, e.g. what percentage of my donation goes to whom.

[WhiteKnight]

The best they deserve is a heavily overweighted try-dive in the pool!

[Morag]

If in doubt, just find SeaStar and buy Scuba Trust raffle tickets off her instead

[TheRedDarren]

Still bitterly disappointed about the 50p you donated 6 months ago there matey?

[bowe310s]

Another one to watch for are the timeshare sharks offering 'free entry' to some raffle - couple of days you receive a call - congrats - you have won .......
and you have won the opportunity to spend cash on some timeshare...

[machiavelli]

Did anyone investigate this any further at the time?

I've just returned from the flying show at the NEC where a not very military looking gentleman was collecting and selling raffle tickets (win a holiday in Europe) purporting to be raising money for Combat Stress. The raffle tickets have an address in guess where, Blackpool, which on street view looks like a solicitor's office. No Company or charity number, but the text 'promoted by BMC'.

It's worth a call to the real Combat Stress, but I suspect I won't get to speak to them until Monday by which time the show will be over.