What is the deal with so many radio commercials about donating your car to charity to help children?

Posted by JermaineBucketz@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 13 comments

They all have catchy jingle too. Is this some kind of scam?

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Substantial-Part-700@reddit

If you’re referring to Kars 4 Kids, better have a look at this first. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kars4kids-charity-misleads-donors-report/

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JermaineBucketz@reddit (OP)

Not planning on donating a car. But I’ve never heard of this concept until I moved to Dallas. These commercials reek of scam. Glad my BS meter was accurate.

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They air them nationwide and internationally as well. I grew up hearing them in the Midwest, then even up in Canada after moving there as a teen. It’s a huge, obviously profitable racket for these people.

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BE_Odin@reddit

unfortunately Radio has been a scam and running scam ads since it became irrelevant.

Same thing is happening with Television Advertisements. and then next the internet.

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tturedditor@reddit

Wow that is eye opening.

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Pabi_tx@reddit

Do yourself a favor - don't listen to the commercials.

Here's all you need to know about radio commercials. In violation of my rule about not listening, I heard one for Texas Lending the other day. They were touting getting a home equity loan for reasons that included having some money in the bank for a rainy day.

That's right folks - take out a mortgage so you can have a little cash in the bank for an emergency.

That's the kind of people who advertise on the radio.

And in my defense, the commercial came on right after I started the car and I was backing up and the dang car won't let you change stations while the backup camera is on.

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JKinney79@reddit

Scammy scam. Very little of that money goes to any children’s charity.

There’s a similar one but aimed at Patriots/Veterans, it’s the same company.

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Rooster_Castille@reddit

in november a lot of dono campaigns run by professional nonprofits amp up big time. you see it everywhere.
in retail stores you're asked to round up to donate to charities, which is effectively donating to the retail store then they use your money to reduce their taxes.
a lot of Professional Nonprofits have a thousand admin staff and thirty executives and VPs. they all specialize in marketing. the nonprofit's goal becomes, "Get us bigger paychecks and bonuses, year over year." The CEO's goal is to buy a new yacht every spring.
Then you look up reports on these Professional Nonprofits and see that they only give a tiny amount of their income to their pretend cause. 2% of income to actual breast cancer research groups and labs. 1% of income to veterans orgs, 99% of which are just VFW halls. 20% of income given to disaster cleanup but most of that money goes to mega contractor corps that are supposed to clean up after wilfires and floods but the locals say they've never seen crews do anything and the locals had to clean up their own roads to be able to drive to safety or to return home after evacuating.
Some orgs like for you to donate objects rather than money because they can operate as a business, selling things that were donated. Then they can give favors to business partners, sell cheap or free, then those friends flip the product for more money. If the jeweler promises to donate four grand each month then any time someone drops off gems or jewelry I put all that in a separate container before the donations get sorted out and appraised, then drive the goods right over to jeweler bro who will sell dead grandmas' rings to young couples who will commit to a payment plan, go into debt, then split up in four days.

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