'Your employer is in the wrong and they know it': Company scams employee at charity raffle, takes his money and sends him a different item

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Feb 3, 2025 9:00 AM EST

Charity is always a good idea. If you have a little change knocking around, giving it to someone who really needs it can not only make their lives better but make you feel good too. Helping others is a great way to help yourself, whether it's through money, time, or spreading awareness. It's important, though, to be judicious about who and what you're giving to. I recently watched a docu-series called Telemarketers (highly recommend) that basically exposes the telemarketing industry as a complete and utter scam. If anyone calls you asking for money for the Fraternal Order of Police, hang up immediately!

As long as there are scams to be scum, scammers are gonna scam. Hopefully, though, nobody at your place of work is scamming you. You would think that if your employer is putting on a charity function, they would do their due diligence and make it a legitimate affair. It's not so hard to do. 

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    FOC DONATION
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • In this story, though, one worker was left wondering if his company had ripped him off. After attempting to do something nice (AKA donate to a charity), he had the rug pulled from under him by what he ended up receiving in the mail. Read on for the story and decide what you think. 

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    My own workplace "scammed" me during charity event.

    So I work for a big corporation, and during the holiday, they held a "charity auction". Basicly, they offered some items for sale (electronics, waterbottles, hoodies, etc), and all the money people paid would go to a charity.
    via u/Khriss1313
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    I tought it was a nice thing, so I decided to buy something. I bid on a 3-piece set of retro tshirts, and I ended up winning them.
    via u/Khriss1313
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    So I transfert them the money, and AFTER I paid, they messaged me to tell me that the tshirts were only available in S, M or L, even tought it clairly stated that they were available in all sizes. I was like "Well it s ks, but fine, Ill take them and give them as a gift".
    via u/Khriss1313
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    2 weeks later, I received said Tshirts. They weren't the same tshirts I ordered. They basicly gave me old and outaded promotional stuff from 3 years ago (the kind of tshirt you get in a 24pack of beer). I messaged the person in charge, but they ghosted me. So now, Im stuck with stuff I can't wear because they are too small for me, and that I can't give away because they're ugly A.F.
    via u/Khriss1313
  • 06
    So yeah, III give my money straight to the charity next year...
    via u/Khriss1313
  • 07

    Other workers weighed in on what they thought was going on here.

    SuckerForNoirRob... . 23h ago Can you escalate this to your boss or something? That is entirely not okay.
    via u/SuckerForNoirRobots
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    Khriss1313 OP 23h ago No one cares enought. I did message the person in charge of the auction as well as her supiversor, but no response since then. I suspect they never had (or didn't have enought) the merchandise and are too ashamed to admit it. That being said, at least my money helped someone in need, so it's not so bad.
    via u/Khriss1313
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    TheThingInItself ⚫ 23h ago You sure it actually went to charity? You could dispute the charges
    via u/TheThingInItself
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    13
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 11
    Khriss1313 OP • 23h ago It's a well known corporation, so I believe they wouldn't take the risk to ruin their PR for a couple thousand bucks they are giving to charity.
    via u/Khriss1313
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    PoisonWaffle3 22h ago • Do some searches on this sub, as well as r/legal and r/legaladvice. These kinds of BS charity auctions and raffles where they don't even deliver the prize/item/service are a fairly common scam and are generally illegal.
    via u/PoisonWaffle3
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    Do some research, your employer is in the wrong and they know it. They aren't acknowledging you because they would be admitting guilt and just giving you evidence.
    via u/PoisonWaffle3
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    Bttr-Trt-5812 · 22h ago • My alma mater scammed me. Twice, really. The first time, I paid for an expensive plate at an alumni event where I provided my dietary needs weeks in advance to the meal coordinator. Instead of offering replacements, they
    via u/Bttr-Trt-5812
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    simply removed all the allergens from my meal... Think lettuce with no dressing, fruit glaze on a bare plate with no dessert, etc. I had to stop for fast food on the way home. The second time, I won the event raffle (awarded in front of all attendees) and was gifted free coaching hours with the event professional speaker, who promptly ghosted me.
    via u/Bttr-Trt-5812
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    jueidu 22h ago . You should dispute the charges. This is a scam, plain and simple.
    via u/jueidu
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    Grouchy-Reward8... 21h ago Future wise you should never ever never contribute to a company charity event. Why? Because it's most likely being used as a tax deductible by the company. McDonald's and all those fast food companies that ask you to round up on
    via u/Grouchy-Reward8099
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    your meal for charity? Tax deductible my fellow wage slaves. Don't get me wrong still helps charity but if you're going to donate, there's better options that don't enrich the 1% further.
    via u/Grouchy-Reward8099
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    CuriousPenguin So... • 20h ago Dispute the charge since you've tried to fix the issue and they aren't willing to even talk to you about it. The money was still send to charity but your workplace did not honor the agreement.
    via u/CuriousPenguinSocks
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    People do these things because they get away with them. However, I totally understand how this could cause you issues with employment and you wouldn't want to go that route. If that's the case, just know this for next time and don't bid on their auctions. If you like the charity, then give to them directly what you can afford.
    via u/CuriousPenguinSocks
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    I'm sorry this happened to you. It might be worth it to contact your internal legal team and let them know what has happened and that you aren't getting a response.
    via u/CuriousPenguinSocks
  • 22
    Deltajer 23h ago Just ANOTHER way to keep us down... Sorry it happened to you.
    via u/Deltajer
  • 23
    Barbarossa7070 · 22h ago Wait til next year's auction and then reply all to the email asking where your shirts are, providing all the details.
    via u/Barbarossa7070
  • 24
    numerobis21 · 16h ago Fun fact: your company will use YOUR money to get a tax deduction. Because, you know, THEY gave that money to charity.
    via u/numerobis21

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boss antiwork charity workplace-stories toxic-workplace job bosses work coworkers working reddit story toxic-boss workplace scam reddit thread bad bosses Reddit auction toxic-work-environment
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