Teenage scammers "Fundraising" door to door for football clubs Post Reply

[Balham Blazers FC]

Hi Everyone.

This is a first time post from Balham Blazers Football Club. I expect some of you will know of us already. For those who don't we are Balham based and train and play all over the borough.

At the moment we (and some other clubs) are having a problem with scammers going door to door purporting to collect money for us or for football tours with us. I have had the same thing at my own house in Ellerton Road but they were supposedly collecting for a different club so I didn't clock the scam. They were very good and ticked all the boxes. They were boys in their mid teens, well turned out, not shifty looking, local accents, forms with logos on etc and I gave them £20 - like you do - without really looking at which club it was they were collecting for.

Clearly, though, it wasn't Blazers or I would have clocked it!

Therefore it is safe to assume that a number of clubs' names are being used in this
scam.

Blazers rely heavily on our fundraising (which we never do door to door) and
so we don't want people falling for this scam like I did and, perhaps, not
donating to us when we are really raising money.

We have reported the incidents (we know of more than a few now) to the police but it would be great if people could see if they can get number plates for the cars these guys travel in or to take sponsorship forms from them. It would also be useful to know which other clubs' names are being used.

Ultimately, though, we need to make sure that they don't profit from this so that we, and the other clubs whose names they use, don't lose much needed donations.

Thanks.

[legs11]

I got some kids a few weeks ago in Gayville Road, asking for money for Clapham Rangers

[Balham Blazers FC]

Thanks for your response - Over the next few days I will collect the names of clubs whose names are being used and let the clubs know.

[Southfields girl]

this happened in earlsfield a few weeks ago, said they were collecting for earlsfweld united or something!

[Balham Blazers FC]

Thanks for your response. Yes, mine was a few weeks ago too but we have had reports of it happening within the past few days. We just want to get the word out that it is going on so that people start challenging them or so that we can find out who is doing it.

[Battersea Mummy]

I've had teenage boys knocking a couple of times claiming to be from Lambeth Tigers. I gave them some 'sponsorship' money the first time they called - I think they claimed to be raising money for children in Africa through a football tournament. But after reading a warning on Streatham Mums Network about this scam I refused the second time and they haven't been back. We live in Streatham Hill / Balham by Tooting Common.

[Working Mom]

I had them twice on my door - once for a football club in Tooting and the other time for a football club in Balham. I handed over 10 pounds each time....

[Balham Blazers FC]

Thanks for your input. Clearly it is very frustrating that it is going on.

[asr4]

I have had two requests boys from 'Lambeth Lions' for sponsorship. They had forms from 'TackleAfrica' for a football tournament in Dulwich in July.
They used the TackleAfrica logos and gave a good speech about the point of the fundraising. They were well prepared, looked me in the eye, very polite. Only looked uncomfortable when I asked them if my son should visit their mum's house
I noticed a number of residents in my road had donated.
Lambeth Lions are a team in the USA and this is the notice on the TackleAfrica site

7th April 2016
It has come to our attention that some groups of young people have been approaching members of the public for cash donations in TackleAfrica’s name on London streets and doorsteps. These people do not represent TackleAfrica in any way, and any money they raise does not come to us.
Please note that TackleAfrica never advises or condones public, street or doorstep cash-collecting from fundraisers taking part in Football Marathons or any other TackleAfrica events or fundraising activities.

I informed the police at the time.

[Battersea Mummy]

I think we had the same visitors asr4 (probably got my tigers and lions muddled up!) We'd just moved to the area when they first turned up last summer. I remember asking them about the football club, wondering if it would be suitable for my son and they gave quite convincing answers, they even invited us along to watch the 'tournament'! Glad you reported them, I will do too if they ever come knocking again for the third time.

[Balham Blazers FC]

Thanks again for all of your comments. The more we can get this message out there the better. Even more so if it means that someone is able to find out who is doing this and whether they are being "run" by older people. All of the stories seem to be the same. The boys are appropriately dressed, the right age, carrying official looking sponsorship forms with logos on them, confident and without accents that would make one think they are being bussed in from elsewhere - as is often the case with this type of door to door scam.

[NightingaleMum]

I had an adult who said he ran a football club at the local state school on Chestnut Grove fundraising at my door just after Easter. He did a good spiel on whether I had kids the right age to join them. When he handed over the sponsorship form I noticed the names pretty much all had "sponsorship paid" ticked and were all a tenner which just struck me as odd so I looked at the names and for my next door neighbour the name was wrong and I thought "scam" - I just scribbled down a fake name and said I had no cash could he come back when he'd kicked his 100 goals or whatever it was.

I never thought to look for a car or anything - did the local police say they want a call when they're about, I assume they do a few roads at a time so hang around for a bit?

[Balham Blazers FC]

Thanks for your reply. It wasn't me from our club that dealt with the police so I can't say exactly what they said. I am sure it would discourage this scam if car registrations were taken and those involved knew they could be traced.

[AbbevilleMummy]

They are on Salcott Road SW11 right now as I type.

[Canook]

I had a teenage boy matching the OP's general description knock on my door last week. I live in Clapham South/Abbeville Rd area. I didn't give him any money since his form seemed ragged and he didn't have a badge or anything...