# Has anyone heard of Rainbow Charity? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 5, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236 "2013-06-05T20:20:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/1 "2013-06-05T20:20:57Z")
I offer free advertising to human welfare charities on my own website and I have received a request to advertise one called Rainbow Charity (there are several charities with similar names, but the one in question is this one: [http://www.rainbow-charity.com](http://www.rainbow-charity.com)) Does anyone know if this is genuine? A few things about the website don’t quite sit right - no address details in the contact, no clear indication of where they’re based, a rather diverse profile of works, odd terminology (‘cancerous children’, ‘elderlies’). I can’t quite decide if I think they’re genuine with just a bit of a crappy website and some language barrier problems, or if it’s a warning sign that it could be a scam. Anyone heard of them? ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/2 "2013-06-05T20:33:41Z")
They struck me as odd, they are way too diversified for such a small unkown charity. Almost sounds like they don’t want to leave anybody out that they might be able to collect money from. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/3 "2013-06-05T20:43:16Z")
Their FB page is new as of May 11, and all of the Facebook posts are from Yesterday. The people in the photos are wearing rainbow-colored shirts that say “Rainbow Trust” which is a[real charity in the UK.](http://www.rainbowtrust.org.uk/) I’m guessing it’s a scam. You might want to contact the Rainbow Trust and tell them that this charity is using their name for scamming. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/4 "2013-06-05T20:48:58Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Their FB page is new as of May 11, and all of the Facebook posts are from Yesterday. > > The people in the photos are wearing rainbow-colored shirts that say “Rainbow Trust” which is a[real charity in the UK.](http://www.rainbowtrust.org.uk/) > > I’m guessing it’s a scam. You might want to contact the Rainbow Trust and tell them that this charity is using their name for scamming. I noticed similarities in some of the mascot pictures - I’m going to contact Rainbow Trust and see what they say. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/5 "2013-06-05T21:15:35Z")
Their website looks almost the same as the Rainbow Trust website. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/6 "2013-06-05T22:33:24Z")
Why would someone impersonate another charity in order to get the impersonated charity free advertising…? It makes no sense…lol ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/7 "2013-06-05T23:01:43Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > Why would someone impersonate another charity in order to get the impersonated charity free advertising…? It makes no sense…lol If it is a scam, they’re doing it to gather donations (or maybe to steal the payment card details etc of the donors) - the request for advertising would then just be part of a campaign to drive more traffic (=more potential donors) to their site. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/8 "2013-06-05T23:08:13Z")
Because using the name of the well-known charity gives them legitimacy and makes it more likely that people will donate. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/9 "2013-06-05T23:11:49Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > Why would someone impersonate another charity in order to get the impersonated charity free advertising…? It makes no sense…lol I misread this the first time. That’s not what they’re doing - they’re impersonating the charity to get _themselves_ advertising - there are two distinct sites here: [http://www.rainbowtrust.org.uk/](http://www.rainbowtrust.org.uk/) (real) and [http://www.rainbow-charity.com/](http://www.rainbow-charity.com/) (maybe not real) ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/10 "2013-06-05T23:14:54Z")
Many years ago the symbol of the “Rainbow” as the symbol of the “Unicorn” were adopted by what was called, “The New Age” Like hobo’s had signs on fence post on who would be good for a hand out or who to stay away from … so goes the sign of the “rainbow” except for the promise of God not to send a flood again … that is an exception ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/11 "2013-06-05T23:18:51Z")
What about “The Human Fund”? Is it legit? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/12 "2013-06-05T23:21:31Z")
Of course it’s legit; it’s money for people. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/13 "2013-06-06T00:22:18Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > so goes the sign of the “rainbow” except for the promise of God not to send a flood again … that is an exception Dayumm! He just sends little ones, killing off minor numbers. Just saying… ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/14 "2013-06-06T06:06:58Z")
> [@](#): > > odd terminology (‘cancerous children’, ‘elderlies’) The site looks like it was put together by people who really don’t have a good grasp of the English language…sort of like the spam I get all the time. I would not trust these people. I think that they’re trying to play you for a sucker, which is a pity, considering that you’re just trying to do something nice. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/15 "2013-06-06T06:29:31Z")
Looks fishy. Some of the “family stories” have been copied from the UK Rainbow Charity web site. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/16 "2013-06-06T07:12:28Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > Looks fishy. Some of the “family stories” have been copied from the UK Rainbow Charity web site. Yeah, that’s good enough for me. There’s no reason they would be publishing the same content - if they were an affiliated organisation, there would be a link or attribution. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/17 "2013-06-06T07:13:33Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > The site looks like it was put together by people who really don’t have a good grasp of the English language…sort of like the spam I get all the time. > > I would not trust these people. I think that they’re trying to play you for a sucker, which is a pity, considering that you’re just trying to do something nice. Some good will come of this. I’m reporting the fake site to BBC’s _Watchdog_ team - and I’ll be contacting Rainbow Trust to offer them a slot in my free ad scheme. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/18 "2013-06-06T08:14:00Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Some good will come of this. I’m reporting the fake site to BBC’s _Watchdog_ team - and I’ll be contacting Rainbow Trust to offer them a slot in my free ad scheme. That’s some poetic justice right there, nice job! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/19 "2013-06-06T09:08:13Z")
Update: Rainbow Trust have confirmed it’s a fake, and will be taking action to get it shut down. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236/20 "2013-06-06T13:26:56Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I offer free advertising to human welfare charities on my own website and I have received a request to advertise one called Rainbow Charity (there are several charities with similar names, but the one in question is this one: [http://www.rainbow-charity.com](http://www.rainbow-charity.com)) My alarm goes off whenever I see a self-described “charity” using a .com website address. It’s not difficult to obtain a .org domain for a non-profit. Additionally, there’s nothing on the website to indicate that your donations are tax-deductible, no mention of it being a non-profit organizatoin, etc. Everything about that website screams out “scam!” to me. YMMV. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-heard-of-rainbow-charity/660236.md?page=2)