This weekend I was out doing some chores and my wife called me asking if it was OK to give this young gypsy looking guy (I saw him through security) our credit card details. She said the man looked legit and as much as I was glad that she called me to ask, she kept insisting I allow it.
I told her that we could donate to his charity online directly. She relayed this info to the guy and he insisted that it was much better that my wife would give him our credit card info directly. After a nearly 10 minute struggle, I finally got my kind hearted but naive wife to get rid of the guy.
I told my wife she shouldn't be opening the door while I was out or tell people she's alone with our kids and that no charity would be so pushy to get people's credit card details. She then looked the specific info the guy gave her online and couldn't find anything. This led to her freaking out, calling the cops to tell them what happened, the cops warned her not to give credit card details to anyone and showed up in the neighborhood within 5 minutes and went to talk to them. I don't know the outcome but it really bothered me that this guy persisted so much when my wife was clearly apprehensive while he knew I was telling her over the phone not to.
I later called the charity and they said they do have people out door to door asking for credit card details which enraged me because this makes it extremely easy for someone to pretend being a part of one, slap a fake name tag, and go from door to door scamming people. Best to always ask the charity for how to donate directly online and to make sure the URL they give you is legit by calling the charity.
