Begging websites

[jewelz617]

Have you ever seen these? I guess since times are difficult some people have taken to various websites to do "internet begging."

Basically they post their story about why they need money and provide a paypal link where money can be donated. Some of the stories are heartbreaking (kids with terminal illness, spouse laid off after 25 years with the company). But some are really ridiculous. One woman posted a story that she''s 24 years old with a toddler. She wants $160,000 to buy a house because her apartment doesn''t allow cats and she refuses to live without the cat, so now she and her toddler have nowhere to live.

Is this a sign of the times? Not only with how bad people''s finances are, but how seemingly lazy people are becoming? I don''t honestly know. I''d love a bailout too, but until then I''ve got a job starting in May. It will be tough after 2 years at home with my daughter but you have to do what you have to do...

Are these websites helpful at all, or just a way to enable and/or scam people?

 

[April20]

These have been around for a loooong time. It kind of all started with the "Save Karyn" website around 1999. Google it and you'll get the history, but basically, this woman started the website to pay off debt she racked up. She kept a blog and tracked her debt payoff. She was pretty humorous and people responded. She did pay off her debt and she wrote a book about it. After she was successful, these type websites pretty much popped up all over the place. I think the current economy has probably resulted in these websites continuing to pop up like dandelions.

ETA: I think a lot of people use them to see how much money they can get out of others for doing NOTHING. So, yes, I think the majority of them are scams. At these the original gal was honest about how she got where she was and what she was asking for!

 

[jewelz617]

Date: 4/3/2010 1:53:33 PM
Author: April20
These have been around for a loooong time. It kind of all started with the ''Save Karyn'' website around 1999. Google it and you''ll get the history, but basically, this woman started the website to pay off debt she racked up. She kept a blog and tracked her debt payoff. She was pretty humorous and people responded. She did pay off her debt and she wrote a book about it. After she was successful, these type websites pretty much popped up all over the place. I think the current economy has probably resulted in these websites continuing to pop up like dandelions.


ETA: I think a lot of people use them to see how much money they can get out of others for doing NOTHING. So, yes, I think the majority of them are scams. At these the original gal was honest about how she got where she was and what she was asking for!

That''s a really cool story, I''ll check that out!

 

[Arkteia]

It is slightly off-track but I am in this "donor computer" after having contributed to Obama''s campaign and it made my life a disaster.

Several years ago (when I was not in the computer) everyone living in our area got a letter asking for donations to buy Christmas presents for our firefighters. Well, they risk their lives helping us...I guess many people responded. Then the police issuing official statement saying that they never asked for money to buy Christmans presents...I guess some people got similar letters from the police. Both were scams! I am glad that I did not donate (I would have never donated to our police anyway because I get so many speeding tickets. It is totally my fault but still...)+

 

[PumpkinPie]

those websites mostly annoy me - but some of the stories are truly tragic

 

[perry]

The big question is which stories are true and worthy of support - and which are scams.

I help people - and have given money to people directly as part of that (with no tax write-off). I have been scammed in the past - and run into scams on a routine basis (if you correspond the story does not add up or changes over time).

At this point - its pretty much if I can''t meet you in person - and verify the story in person - then I''m not willing to help.

This does not mean that there are not people who are in need. But, I am convinced that there are at least as many scam artist out there. So now I figure that in the vast majority of cases I''m no longer being scammed (and accept that I may occasionally be scammed).

Also, in my case I have other typical conditions: I do not want to waste my money (and giving money to people who cannot manage money is usually a total waste); and ideally I''d like to help people improve themselves to where they don''t need help.

Have a great day,

Perry

 

[yssie]

Not a chance.



If you're tech savvy enough to set up and maintain your own website, that's an ability you could market for legitimate, earned income. If you had someone else to do it for you, well.. I still don't believe a word.