Cyber begging or Honest Intentions?
By taface412
@taface412 (3175)
United States
September 11, 2008 5:06pm CST
I have heard of this before and thought how ingenius it is for someone to do it but never had the audacity myself to do it...until now.
Last week in Time magazine there was a guy who wants to go to college and does not have the funds to do so. His father works 3 jobs and his mother is disabled. So he sent out an email to people in his address book asking for donations. And asked them to forward it on to others even if they do not donate. He did this in a non-spamming way, you know not purchasing email addresses. Well, in a hsort time he raised somewhere around $5,000 for his school funds.
I had heard of a woman shortly after i graduated fomr college who did this to get help to pay off her student loans. And she was able to pay them off in two years. So it got me to thinking....I can maybe do this to help me go back to school to become a nurse. And it is a non-tax deductible donation. But some view it as cyber begging. I am on the fence with this one. I think it is only cyber begging if you put out a woe is me story.....for me I am gonna tell the truth as I have always done. And I hope to get it going sometime this week. I just want to make sure it is honest and turhtful as much as possible without giving out too much personal info on myself (protect from identity theft or even harrassment-you never know with people).
So do you view it as cyber begging or do you view it as a idea that is not far from the spirit of giving? AFter all, the ones who donate may not know for sure it is what it is.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@xcammiex (272)
• United States
11 Sep 08
I myself consider anything that includes someone asking for money online cyber-begging, although I think it has a negative connotation on it so I wouldn't use that phrase for everyone. I think what matters is the intent. For example, if someone is asking for money to go on vacations, I think that's cyber-begging and frankly, I would find that appalling. If someone is ill and has huge medical bills, attorney fees for something that isn't their fault, or a crisis situation like their house is in foreclosure, I would called that asking for assistance. I know it's just semantics, but I think it's important to distinguish between people with legitimate need vs. people scamming people for their own benefit.
1 person likes this
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
11 Sep 08
Very true xcammie.
Thanks for responding.
1 person likes this
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
11 Sep 08
I'm not sure how I feel about this. I guess it does border on begging, but that's my opinion. I think you would have to give as much information as possible about yourself so people wouldn't think they were getting had. There would also be an issue of taxable income. Research this and see if its something that you really want to do.
1 person likes this
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
11 Sep 08
Oh completely I agree. Plus, I already decided if I do this they will have all info about my life short of full name and address....and I would like to find out if they could use it as a tax deduction as a donation, but most likely b/c it is a private donation.
ANd I do know most probably would see it as a gimmick, but that is why I want mine to be the truth. I guess it boils down to how the donor feels and I look at it this way...if they close the page...it's their choice. I just know in the spirit of giving people do nice things...and with paying forward those with tur intentions always pay forward themselves.
Thanks gitfiddle.
1 person likes this
@sunshinelady (7609)
• United States
12 Sep 08
Personally I think this is Cyber begging. I don't send money to anyone unless I can verify that they are not just making a story up and people have been known to do that. Even people who say that someone is sick and they are needing the money to help pay hospital expenses or help the people keep their house from having to be turned into the bank. I am a person who wants to know positively where my money goes. I work hard for my money and am not willing to give just because someone says that their is medical expenses or such. Any thing can be said over the internet and it doesn't mean that it is true. I have to be able to verify the story and even then I hesitate to send the money. But this is just my personal opionion.
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
13 Sep 08
I understand that sunshine lady.
In fact I have thought of a way to help out those who might be a little skeptical. I am going to put my story out there. If people don't believe it...well it's their choice. It's not like I am going door to door. Or even spamming them. I am making sure I am doing this in a legitmate way. I would like to put a link onto my Myspace, but then I don't like to completely give out all my personal stuff....like I am not one to just show my photo with location info. Like yuo said this is the internet....and you have to look out for your security.
@crabboy28 (153)
• United States
11 Sep 08
If it helps me raise money for college or anything else I need like a car, then yes I would do it. It doesn't matter if itz begging because I need the money and if that helps then do it
1 person likes this
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
11 Sep 08
Kinda like fundrasing. Yeah. I can see it. I think it is only begging if someone sees it as an actual income based way of living...when others use it for a good cause as well as earn a 9-5 job.
But i can understand if people are skeptical of it. But then again I look at it this way when I donate money I am not 100% sure either if the money is going where it is intended....it is the act of giving, not the amount that matters to people who need help but cannot get it other ways....I dunno. LOL
Thanks for responding.
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