# Howard Lake comments on cyber-begging in Internet magazine

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2003/05/27/howard-lake-comments-cyberbegging-internet-magazine/
- Published: 2003-05-27T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

UK Fundraising’s Howard Lake was asked by Internet magazine about the phenomenon
of online begging.
Some entrepreneurial individuals have beaten charities to it 
in using the Internet to appeal for funds for themselves. UK Fundraising has featured
some of the more successful or outrageous examples from time to time.

The phenomenon is covered in June 2003’s issue of Internet magazine, and author 
Kim Gilmour asked for UK Fundraising’s views. She writes: “Giving money to beggars
requires a “great leap of faith”, says Howard Lake, publisher of UK Fundraising (
www.fundraising.co.uk), an online resource for charity fundraisers. “Although people
are the end beneficiaries of both begging and fundraising, with fundraising by organisations
there’s an element of professional oversight as to how donations are collected and
spent,” says Lake. “Where money is concerned, this professionalism should inspire
trust in donors.”

“Most begging sites, he adds, appear to be unsuccessful because of their passive
approach. “There’s no attempt to cultivate donors, communicate with them and seek
repeated or regular gifts from those that want to help.”

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“Instead, he thinks online beggars should seek help from charities or government
agencies. “But then, breast enlargement is never likely to become a lawfully charitable
objective,” Lake points out.”

Do the sites work? According to Internet magazine, Brooklyn-based Karyn Bosnak raised
$20,000 online to pay off her debts. Her [book](http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060558199/219)
on the experience is due for publication in September 2003. On the other hand ‘Ernie
Davis’ (not his real name) in Scotland has raised just £9 from two donors at his
sendapound.co.uk site.

The original Sendmeadollar.com site now includes a list and reviews of over 150 
similar online begging sites.

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