Scammers Are Taking Advantage of Free Meal Services Provided by Sikh Charities

Taegukgi on 26/04/2020 - 14:47
Last edited 26/04/2020 - 15:39

I hope this isn’t Ozbargainers…

As reported -

There are concerns that scammers are taking advantage of Sikh charities providing free meals during the coronavirus crisis.

Across Australia various not-for-profit groups in the midst of the pandemic have been giving away Indian meals to the less fortunate in pursuit of the centuries-old Sikh tradition of Langar.

But some say the kindness and generosity shown is being exploited by lazy, greedy recipients.

In Darwin, Tejinder Pal Singh, who was awarded the 2016 Northern Territory Local Hero Award told SBS he has been giving out freshly cooked Indian meals every day from March 26 to help those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

'Our delivery volunteers told us that they saw eight people enjoying their drink at the address where they had gone to supply meals,' Mr Singh said.

'Although they gave them the food, this upset us as a team because we are working for those in need and with our limited resources.'

The problem recently became so bad Mr Singh had to shut down his daily meal service.

Should deals for Sikh charities be removed from Ozbargain?

Poll Options

  • 92
    Yes
  • 22
    No
Food & Grocery

Comments

  • ashdays on 26/04/2020 - 14:53
    +6

    There'll always be people who do not care about scamming others. There is a name for these kinds of people!

    • Donaldhump on 26/04/2020 - 14:59
      +25

      pieces of shit

    • Clear on 26/04/2020 - 15:22
      +5

      Just look at any OzBargain deal offering free samples. There are always people making multiple accounts to take advantage and sometimes it's encouraged!

    • bdl on 26/04/2020 - 16:00
      +2

      Dodgebargainers

  • JimmyF on 26/04/2020 - 14:56
    +3

    But some say the kindness and generosity shown is being exploited by lazy, greedy recipients.

    So basically the standard ozbargain user then?

  • t25 on 26/04/2020 - 14:57
    +1

    This was bound to happen there are always greedy, lazy, scamming scumbags out there who will take advantage of any situation, even if it means someone else is put out.

    Not long ago, there was a group of six diners who rocked up to an all you can eat buffet, and paid $5 for the table. Not even $1/person. And the worst part? They decided to pack some in tupperware containers for later; the fact that they were using tupperware shows that it was intentional.

    • Mokr on 26/04/2020 - 20:19

      buffet is sunk costs

  • Donaldhump on 26/04/2020 - 14:58
    +4

    don't let scum bags bother you, they will always exist.

    You literally have to be the lowest piece of shit on earth to bum a free meal off a charity when you don't need it.

    just be glad you are not one of them.

  • kahn on 26/04/2020 - 15:10
    +7

    But some say

    Ah yes, the gold standard in journalism.

  • stratbargain on 26/04/2020 - 15:12
    +3

    Langar is the term used in Sikhism for the community kitchen in a Gurdwara where a free meal is served to all the visitors, without distinction of religion, caste, gender, economic status or ethnicity.

    Is it "scamming"? The whole point of Langar is to offer a meal to anyone, no questions. If they are genuinely thankful for the meal and not rude I don't see how this is scamming.

    Then again this is the daily mail we are talking about…

    • freewhere on 26/04/2020 - 23:56

      "offer a meal to anyone, no questions" yes, at their place of worship where the whole community contributes to keep langar running. But in the article is says receipients were having drinks when volunteers delivered meals. This was upsetting to them, they still delivered the meals but there aren't any donations that usually are from the community, these are run by individuals from their own pockets and intended for anyone that truly needs help. Usually I'd agree with you as nobody is really forcing them to be generous but in these times such scammers could be reason some people sleep hungry.

  • Seraphin7 on 26/04/2020 - 15:31
    +2

    Provide something for nothing and there is no demand regulator there.

    Doesn't matter whether you're talking about Indian meals, or "free" stuff doled out by governments … it will always be abused by those who are taking it only because it's free.

  • GG57 on 26/04/2020 - 15:33
    +1

    Does karma exist in Sikhism?

    • [Deactivated] on 26/04/2020 - 17:40
      +2

      It's called a Kirpan.

  • AustriaBargain on 26/04/2020 - 15:35
    +2

    Sikh give away food all year round. You show up at any Sikh temple and ask for food and they will give it, apparently.

  • Emerald Owl on 26/04/2020 - 16:11
    +2

    Of course there are people who scam charities. If they are desperate enough to be a scammer, they probably do need the help though. The rest are just small in number.

  • CheapieChippie on 26/04/2020 - 16:47
    +1

    I think they are looking at this the wrong way.

    There are plenty of homeless that gather at sharehouses. They usually have some illness, be it alcholism or something else which might explain the beer thing.

    Even if they were all holding $4 beers, that is not much compared to the cost of a meal which is around $10-20 at your local restaurant. I think they overreacted to be honest. For all we know those blokes are now without food for the night. It sucks but they might be picking up bread from outside salvation army today.

    Also, they would be fined for non-essential travel if the 8 of them aren't supposed to be there, so it could be that they live in a sharehouse and are on low-incomes……. I'm living in a sharehouse at the moment… WTF, and if I did take up that offer, which I haven't. Then it would probably look weird.

    Gee, I'm living with a family that has children too. ;-( So qualify for that free superloop thing even though they aren't my children. Not all of us are living like kings.

    • Cave Fire on 26/04/2020 - 20:29

      It says they fed the eight people anyway?

      • CheapieChippie on 27/04/2020 - 07:39

        I'm not sure, maybe they did for one household, but at another it states:

        “When our teammates went to deliver meals at one address, they saw those people were having a get-together at home over drinks. Our mates brought the food back because we are not working for those who can afford drinks at this difficult time,” says Mr Kansal.

  • [Deactivated] on 26/04/2020 - 19:21

    This is what happens when these things get posted on ozb :(

  • sa-ozzie on 26/04/2020 - 19:26

    I suspect the 8 people drinking were ozbargainers

  • [Deactivated] on 26/04/2020 - 21:40
    +7

    Poll option - remove all charity and religion based freebies.

    These are not deals. They are either to truly altruistic, in which case those in need can find out from other means other than ozbargain because this isn't a bulletin for the needy, OR it is evangelical and isn't a deal.

    Either way, posting aforementioned programs will predominantly see exploit here.

  • leiiv on 27/04/2020 - 07:27
    +1

    Just put them all in one wiki page, no need to be posted as a deal.

    • ashdays on 27/04/2020 - 09:11

      This is a good option

  • Moderatorscotty on 28/04/2020 - 14:33

    Please keep in mind that free meal "deals" offered by Sikh Temple have also been voted up by hundreds of other users, and the moderators generally do not like the idea of forced hands masqueraded as polls.

    However we will take the deals down if the merchants or charities contacted us (provided they were not the ones that posted the "deal"). Recent example — Rona Scrubs requested us to unpublish offer for healthcare workers and that was complied.

    • ashdays on 28/04/2020 - 14:39

      Thanks Scotty

  • ozbjunkie on 28/04/2020 - 23:54

    If enjoying their drink means drinking booze, they could be alcoholics. Need could be genuine.

    But yeah, lots of people will abuse kindness and altruism. Shame.

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