NKF Charity Show

[Linda]

Since mid-90s, I had donated to NKF. I would like to share my reason why I now stopped donating... Simply because I did not like their "high-handed" marketing campaign.

Two years ago during the Christmas season, I received a sms message,"We received a greeting from your overseas friend. Please dial XXXX to hear it." I was curious and wonder why didn't my friend just call me on my mobile phone, maybe it's cheaper via sms?

I dialed the given number, guess what? A recorded message came on, "Hi, I am Sharon Au......"

Who the hell is she? I don't have a friend called Sharon Au, residing in Singapore nor overseas! She is not my FRIEND!

I was furious and called my mobile phone service provider and NKF to lodge my complaint. As usual, they didn't apologise but gave me a standard "polite" reply... something along the line, "This is a charity drive and in the spirit of Christmas....blah,blah,blah.

Since then, NKF did not deserve my respect, especially their marketing staff.

[Guest]

I was watching T.V and was listening to the very sad story about the couple and decided to call to donate.

So I dialed 1900-112-6888. Why? because that was the freaken number those people kept on saying and usually that staple number would be the cheapest (i.e $5). So thinking i am doing a good deed I dialed 5 times.

That was until I learned that it was actually $48.80! And boy did it take A LONG TIME to find out how much the calls were worth because the 6888 number was not on the official website!

I feel cheated

It would have been nice if the people tell everyone on the show how much each call is worth. Some elder people might not use internet so they would call whatever the people present.

I think I'll have to think twice before donating ever again!

I feel cheated

[UpsetDonor]

I dont know about u guys, but I have never donated to NKF for following reasons:
1) They run the charity organisation like corporate, like aggressive marketing and misleading information.
2) They are draining other charity organisation in Singapore that haven't have the luxury of gaining such media exposure.
3) They are a poorly run charity org, with skyhigh expense ratio (66%). Looking at their balance sheet (http://www.nkfs.org/finance%20data.htm), they have a perfectly healthy financial conditions, and I dont think they really so desparate for the donations to have such aggressive n unethical approach. I have this feeling they are so aggressive because the director wanna to meet the donation goal like meeting business budget (so benefit their own compensation), rather than they really need the fund. If they are listed company, they probably worth about SGD4 bil market cap.

Enough is enough, no more NKF Charity show. Please give other charity organisations a chance for their survival, and be prudent about your expenses.

[Guest]

I had the same case as you do. But it's my family who made the call. She call thinking its $5 per call. End up I received a bill from phone provider amounting nearly $400. I make a trip down a few time and and all i receive from them is my family's number already register into the lucky draw system and it will be unfair to waive off the amount. And what piss me off is they keep saying they have policy to follow... Wat the hack!!! Policy is made by people and if an organisation so big like them should consider it properly before the telepoll kicks off. So now i'm nearly $400 poorer. I don't come from a rich family... and how can I affort this sum of donation? Now i even cancel off my monthly donation to them. I felt terribly sorry for the patient but I just feel that what they did was unfair and if I want to donate, I'll go directly to the patient and not donate through nkf for them to enjoy the luxury.
Can anyone advice me what to do cos i really feel i'm cheated... I when to see my glassroot leader and they say they can't do help cos they are not government sector. Need to negotiate with nkf personally. But after a few round or negotiation I've failed. I really felt cheated and unset.