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Facebook (2004-), Founder Mark Zuckerberg's World-Changing Social Platform


DonRocks

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Can you believe that there is no general thread (at least none that I can find) here about Facebook?

The reason I'm starting one now is because I've noticed a somewhat disturbing trend in the past few days.

A few days ago, a Friend (whom I've only met once in my life, but who did a favor for me long ago) posted that for his birthday, he'd like people to donate to his favorite charity.

I thought, "Well, what a nice thing to do. Sure, why not?" So I donated $20 out of respect, and wished him a Happy Birthday!

I'd forgotten all about this - until I saw another Friend do a similar thing a couple of days ago. And another. And now another.

Has anyone else noticed this on Facebook in the past week?

Changing the subject a bit, the last two times I've donated money - once on Facebook, once on GoFundMe - including having given a fairly ample sum to a person who doesn't even seem to like me, but who seemed desperate - both times, I got not so much as a thank you, or even a "Like." Really? I don't expect anything in return when I give people something, but what has happened to common courtesy?

The flip-side of this is that I gave a pretty substantial sum to an old high school buddy who really *was* desperate - he needed a kidney transplant, pronto. And a couple months ago, he got one, and is doing much better now - we haven't seen each other in 40 years, but now we've reconnected, and that makes all of this worthwhile.

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Yes. I noticed these posts requesting donations just recently popping up.  On the first I looked at it, thought that is nice, considered the friend (distant but one I’d seen recently, and thought i’d make a small donation shortly) and didn’t do it on the spot). Now I’ve seen 2 others pop up from different folks I know and No I’m not donating to any of these causes.  This is some FB scam.  Too many popped up too quickly.  

I haven’t been given the opportunity to have a “cause” so I don’t know what this scam involves.  

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As my birthday approached, I received several prompts from Facebook to set up a charity donation event to celebrate. Some of my acquaintances do this.  I don't mind when they are helping a legitimate charity, though I don't feel compelled to give.  What I mind are the shameless Facebook money grabs, such as for honeymoons and home down payments. 

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6 hours ago, dcandohio said:

As my birthday approached, I received several prompts from Facebook to set up a charity donation event to celebrate. Some of my acquaintances do this.  I don't mind when they are helping a legitimate charity, though I don't feel compelled to give.  What I mind are the shameless Facebook money grabs, such as for honeymoons and home down payments. 

It appeared to me to be birthday related. Who processes payments is my first question?   

Frankly I saw too many (3) in too short a time period to give it any credibility.   

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17 hours ago, DaveO said:

It appeared to me to be birthday related. Who processes payments is my first question?   

Frankly I saw too many (3) in too short a time period to give it any credibility.   

Dave, I can't quite remember how my payment was processed; only that it was *extremely* quick - almost a one-click type of thing (*)

Here's an article about it (I don't know why I only noticed this in the past week):

May 5, 2017 - "Facebook Wants You To Say Happy Birthday with a Donation" by Heather Kelly on money.cnn.com

In my case of having given $20, it wouldn't have mattered what the charity was - it was my way of saying "thank you" to the person for having done me a favor in the past, but now that I realize the ubiquity of these things, I probably wouldn't have donated.

---

(*) Edit - I have a dcdining.com page on Facebook, and they remember my credit card, similar to Amazon I guess.

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The CNN article states that FB takes a 5% fee which includes CC processing and a fee for researching: also that it went active last August.  I didn’t notice it till very recently though with a spate of 3 requests roughly all at the same time from 3 people who wouldn’t know one another.

Someone in the article referenced “donation fatigue”.   Since I haven’t donated yet I don’t have that.

But.... long time ago I was an active fund raiser for a friend who ran for office.  Got a healthy number of contributions from folks I know.   There after all of them were always getting requests for donations.... sort of endlessly.... and I heard about it.

I sort of resented and felt sheepish about subjecting too many folks to the relentless requests/ demands of political fund raising.

I probably won’t contribute to these FB requests and if so would prefer to do so anonymously as to name and amount.  

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Yeah, people can ask me to donate, but that is a very personal, very individual thing in my perspective. I donate when I want to, how I want to and in what manner I want to, and I do it directly to the charities - not through some middleman facilitation thing.

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