Regular readers will know the antipathy I hold for the scams that disguise themselves as clothing collections. Greeting me on the doormat was another such leaflet asking me to spare a thought for those who can't afford new clothes or shoes <sob, sob> and asking me to leave mine out so that these people could sell them on to the poor and needy for a handy markup (they didn't mention the markup bit).
Anyway, the perps this time are: Polotex Ltd 131 NEASDEN LANE LONDON NW10 1PS Company No. 06240970 polotexltd@yahoo.com
Who've been incorporated as a company for nearly 2 whole months now! There's heritage for you.
If you've got stuff to give then I'd rather you gave it to a real charity rather than this lot. Let's face it, on Central Road there's more than enough choice of charity shops!!
Rickey-Dean Wasson
(24.7.07 17:14)
I recently received a flyer through the post from Polotex Ltd. I usually take a couple of boxes or more of re-usables to my local charity shop. This usually requires much effort by the way of the cost of a taxi or hired car, as most charity shops do not collect from households. As you can imagine I was quite thrilled to have a collection taken from my house.
It takes effort, time and money to give unwanted items to a charity shop. This is especially true if you are elderly, live in a city or do not drive.
It's all well and good to ask the consumer to help with tackling these scams, but what are the Charity Shops doing about this? These scams will continue as long as Charity Shops continue to refuse to collect unwanted items from homes.
As long as someone offers to take away my unwanted items, I can rest knowing that I've done my bit. I've gotten rid of items that may have ended up in a land fill and they will be recycled although it may not be a charity benefiting from it.
Maybe the charity shops should take a leaf from the books of these scam artists and make it easier for donations to be collected!
RdW
London
Anon
(25.7.07 16:46)
ANDRIUS JANKUNAS
131 NEASDEN LANE, LONDON NW10 1PS
Tracesmart Register 09/05/2007 15/07/1980
ANA BRUZIENE
131 NEASDEN LANE, LONDON NW10 1PS
Tracesmart Register 09/05/2007
mrjones
(8.9.07 10:38)
It's probably worth mentioning that there are several genuine charities out there that already operate clothing collections. Just this morning I had a collection bag through the door from Help the Aged which we have filled and left out previously. In addition I've also recently had one from Great Ormond Street Hospital and I am sure there have been others.
(1.12.07 21:32)
We in Orpington have just had a leaflet from Polotex. In the last eight weeks we've had eight leaflets all from different so-called clothing collectors. If I gave to them all I'd be naked by now. As it is they get a big fat nothing..
jaimie ashby
(30.1.08 03:11)
i recently had a leaflet through my door and after much time sorting through my ONLY childs clothes i decided to give them to a charity (which i thought would be good as other children would benefit out of) as my daughter had not worn the clothes for that long, i put out as stated on the leaflet, i went out for the day and i came back late in the evening to find my clothes still where i had left them!!!! but it had been pouring with rain all day and night! i am very displeased with this, these people had time to put the leaflet through my door the least you could of done was pick the clothes up!!!!! now im left with my childs clothes ruined and wet! im very hurt with this as it upsetting enough to let go of them in the first place!!!!!!!! i suggset these people STOP putting leaflets through doors unless your willing to see the job through!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
some of the clothes also had my mothers clothes in which are very expensive may i add, its a waste of time and in future i will get to a shop even though i do find it hard as i have a toddler and i do not drive but at least i will know that the clothes i give away will be used in a good condition, i do apologise if this has offended anyone but i am very offended with these time wasters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul
(4.2.08 17:43)
Just received a wanted ( and collect on Wednesday ),clothing,shoes curtains etc leaflet through my door. It is blue with a seagull on the left.I noticed it is from POLOTEX Ltd and states they are not a charity. County Durham , 4th Feb 2008
daval
(2.4.08 10:32)
Just had one of those leaflets in Widnes and it wished me Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
its April!!!!!!
Pejay
(12.6.08 19:27)
We all have clothes which are past wearing (torn, paint spattered, stained etc) and are put to one side for use as cleaning rags or put out for land fill waste. I have just this week received a flyer from Polotex (no bag mind you) so I filled two old Tesco bags with such items and left them for them to take. Now they've gone and I have a clear corner in my garage to put items of a more valuable nature. I regularly receive bags from Help the Aged, Marie Curie, British Heart Foundation, Age Concern etc and these are the ones that I use for decent used clothing etc.
Nadine.
(11.7.08 12:58)
It's pretty unbelievable, I just got the flyer from Polotex a minute ago and if you read it through, it's got little mention of charitable work whatsoever, yet uses its centre to explain how the poor need to be given clothing. It's using every point a charity has a right to.
Only in the small print it states that most of the donations "provides buisness for the UK export and transport companies. It provides employment for the UK factories grading the clothes and people collecting the bags door to door" and how it's not a charity.
Are these kind of scams even legal? =[
It twists peoples goodwill into selfish gain.
(4.10.08 18:46)
Just take a saturday and go to your local recycling center. A full fourty foot container is usually filled with unwanted clothes that people throw away at ours. Sometimes, we need to get real and stop complaining. It is best to sort out clothes and give them to charity. However there are times when one is too busy or the clothes are preety worn out (or for any other reasons), someone taking them at your door is a blessing. I think this whole talk of scam artists collecting clothes is overblown. We british people like to complain too much. Dont give them clothes if you dont want to, but a good number of us seem to throw our unwanted clothes away in the local authority recycling centers, who apparently also sell them on. Lets put things in perspective.
(14.12.08 13:27)
Having been a victim of a different scam ,when i arrive home and find yet another leaflet demanding we leave out old clothes,curtains etc.. i usually head straight for my recycling bin to recycle the leaflet. When i looked at polotex's leaflet i decided to investigate to see if they are really helping poor countries .I can find no where in the world that are benefiting from these crooks ,who are taking advantage of british humanitarians, no wonder we have charity fatigue. My friends and family often ship barrels of unwanted good quality goods to the poor , sharing the costs our selves without profit.
