Fwd: pink bag scam
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David Thompson
Jun 18, 2016, 9:34:26 PM6/18/16
to Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors Inc.
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Teenie F. <tenng...@comcast.net<mailto:tenng...@comcast.net>>
Date: June 18, 2016 at 4:09:15 PM CDT
To: David Thompson <dtho...@nealharwell.com<mailto:dtho...@nealharwell.com>>
Cc: Teenie Fearheiley <tenng...@comcast.net<mailto:tenng...@comcast.net>>
Subject: pink bag scam
Hi David,
Pink bags with a yellow note attached have been delivered on our street as well other parts of town.
The note asks for donation for “HOPE for Domestic Violence.” Below is a link to a story about the scam mentioned in news recently.
tf
http://www.wsmv.com/story/31800736/pink-bag-charity-scam-appears-to-be-showi
Holman, W. Timothy
Jun 19, 2016, 12:41:37 PM6/19/16
to bhn-cri...@googlegroups.com, Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors Inc.
Fellow BHN residents,
The “pink bag” scam has definitely arrived in Belmont-Hillsboro. I saw them tied around numerous mailboxes on my morning walk.
A little background information: the organization behind the pink bags has been around for years, under several different names. Three years ago in Memphis. it called itself “Hope House”, which happened to be the name of a legitimate AIDS/HIV charity. Now it has become “Hope for Domestic Violence”. The organization has created a shell website at hope4dv.org, which lists phone numbers for the National Domestic Violence Hotline (a legitimate organization) as their only contact information.
You’ll also find several other websites (e.g. clothingpickupatl.com) pushing “pink bag” donations. All of these web sites share common characteristics: no legitimate contact information (addresses or phone numbers), no information about personnel running it, no information about how the donations are used, and no financial reports.
All of these web sites are the work of a man named Gregg Kennard, currently living in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and running an organization called NSPIRE Outreach. NSPIRE Outreach has been the subject of numerous complaints and investigations in recent years. You’ll find this report from two years ago informative:
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/2investigates-where-do-pink-bag-donations-go/138109086
One point that is emphasized over and over in numerous complaints: do NOT provide your name, address, phone number, etc., to “Hope for Domestic Violence” or NSPIRE Outreach. Doing so will immediately get you placed on the calling lists of very aggressive telemarketers who will ignore any “do not call” requests, and ask you for more donations.
My advice is to remove the bags, toss them into your recycling bins, and have nothing to do with “Hope for Domestic Violence”. There are many legitimate organizations that can accept clothing donations.
Tim Holman
BHN Crime Watch
The “pink bag” scam has definitely arrived in Belmont-Hillsboro. I saw them tied around numerous mailboxes on my morning walk.
A little background information: the organization behind the pink bags has been around for years, under several different names. Three years ago in Memphis. it called itself “Hope House”, which happened to be the name of a legitimate AIDS/HIV charity. Now it has become “Hope for Domestic Violence”. The organization has created a shell website at hope4dv.org, which lists phone numbers for the National Domestic Violence Hotline (a legitimate organization) as their only contact information.
You’ll also find several other websites (e.g. clothingpickupatl.com) pushing “pink bag” donations. All of these web sites share common characteristics: no legitimate contact information (addresses or phone numbers), no information about personnel running it, no information about how the donations are used, and no financial reports.
All of these web sites are the work of a man named Gregg Kennard, currently living in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and running an organization called NSPIRE Outreach. NSPIRE Outreach has been the subject of numerous complaints and investigations in recent years. You’ll find this report from two years ago informative:
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/2investigates-where-do-pink-bag-donations-go/138109086
One point that is emphasized over and over in numerous complaints: do NOT provide your name, address, phone number, etc., to “Hope for Domestic Violence” or NSPIRE Outreach. Doing so will immediately get you placed on the calling lists of very aggressive telemarketers who will ignore any “do not call” requests, and ask you for more donations.
My advice is to remove the bags, toss them into your recycling bins, and have nothing to do with “Hope for Domestic Violence”. There are many legitimate organizations that can accept clothing donations.
Tim Holman
BHN Crime Watch
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