Hidden camera uncovers exploitation and pressure-selling at direct sales firm

Today we expose the disgraceful inner workings of a direct sales firm in Cardiff whose workers go door to door trying to persuade people to set up direct debits to established UK charities.
Working undercover and wearing a hidden camera, we can reveal behaviour which has left one of those charities appalled, an MP shocked, a fundraising firm describing the footage as “unbelievable” and a regulator saying it is assessing our evidence.
After months of research, our investigation can now reveal:
- Lies and pressure-selling on doorsteps to get people to sign up to direct debit payments to charities
A pensioner having to insist four times that she doesn’t want to sign up before a sales rep stops persisting
- An attempt to sign up another elderly woman who is clearly confused and giving answers that do not correspond to the seller’s questions.
- New recruits being told to “trick” people in doorstep pitches for charity sign-ups
- Job adverts with empty promises of minimum salaries placed by a sales operation that falsely claims to have represented household-name firms
- New starters being advised to spend less time with their families
- An "appalled" charity will investigate every donation as a result of our footage.
Read the full story here: www.walesonlin...

[@itsflynn.]

This is absolutely top class quality journalism. Real grassroots. The country needs more of this!

[@Nomanspie]

"you ever watched Wolf of Wallstreet?" Instantly walk out if you hear this sentence being uttered by any manager ever.

[@SDRockman]

Wouldn't it be interesting to say "Naw...I haven't. Why are we now talking about films?" just to get them to outline more details of what they go about doing, so that it's captured on camera? ;)

[@Nomanspie]

@@SDRockman "well, these dudes scam loads of cash out of people and dodgy sales people think it's cool to refer to that film when they are being scumbags"... Would be the only honest answer.

[@iambeezy1609]

This was said to me by some scum bag manager

[@MrMoralHighground]

lol, i worked at a place where during training the guy said the company had "a wolf of wall street" type atmosphere.........i did exceptionally well there

[@Jake-dh4ko]

I would collapse from cringing so hard if I heard this sentence

[@Francis-xl2gu]

1 - don't answer the door. 2 - just say NO Thanks if you do !!

[@keithwells3539]

I tell them that I'm already donating. They usually say thank you, and off they pop. If I want to donate, I'll go to the official charities website.

[@JosephByrne]

Rule 3. Always follow rules 1 and 2.

[@davidmarchant9386]

Tell them you been bankrupt by a ccj and you can't 😂 they can't push a sale any further

[@CaptainDarling2020]

I just tell them to Fuck Right Off!

[@Ianjdgale]

@@davidmarchant9386just tell them to leave

[@peterbrown2632]

Congrats to the people who made this, it’s excellent journalism.

[@alikryeziu5894]

I actually worked this kind of job same charities too (NDCS). I quit after 2 hours into the job. They make you pay for your own travel (£10 + a day). Everyone’s trying to manipulate eachother with fake energy and constantly brain washing eachother . It’s literally like a cult . They lied about pay too and everything else completely bad

[@m1szn38]

Was it national death children society and where was your company/branch based may I ask?

[@alikryeziu5894]

@@m1szn38 yes it is the national death children society and i do remember they would have 2 companies working in one building. one is swan marketing.

[@Jesus420.69]

An NDCS canvasser came to my door the other week, I just said no thank you out my window. He came back later and stood at my door for ages tapping away on a tablet.

[@lurekayaklrf]

I did the same as a kid in Torquay, asked to get my wallet from the van and they clocked I was going to do a runner and started panicking haha.

[@shahbaz6741]

100%

[@almurray2000]

Disgusting. At least the wolf of Wall Street preyed on people’s greed and not their guilt over donating to charity.

[@charlieverity5405]

Nice bit of old-fashioned investigative journalism.

[@Tony-vf9zu]

How is it old fashioned

[@tacicalchannel7225]

@@Tony-vf9zuit’s cheaper and less effort to not investigate. Just repeat what other news say

[@Tony-vf9zu]

@@tacicalchannel7225 they makes no sense pal

[@TPH250290]

@@Tony-vf9zu I suspect people are saying this because you don't see many journalists go undercover anymore. They just report on what people are tweeting about.

[@JasonVoorheesFriday13th]

Door to door "charity" collecting should be illegal.

[@drussell12000]

Incredible piece of reporting, well done.

[@markrichardson3566]

It's a MLM cult, unfortunately these are everywhere 🙂

[@halosrusty]

Great work exposing these kinds of evil companies.

[@Cheeseypea]

They are such scum bags. Preying on vulnerable members of society on all sides, whether it's the kids they employ or the people they con into signing up. When the chuggers turn up in our street we need to chase them off, look after our neighbours. And the charities that have signed up with places like vantage know full what will be happening and the tactics involved, they ain't as innocent as they're making out, not sorry for what's happened just sorry they've been caught

[@Yes-u5x]

Mate you do understand this is all done by journalists, and they want something to write about? Journalists are well known for lying, twisting words and making it seem 100x worser than it is.. Just saying you do realise that don’t you?

[@cobwebsandcatnip]

I don't donate to charities and this is one of the reasons why

[@OJ9992]

It’s so cringey, these guys have clearly convinced themselves they are high rolling big business salesmen like from the wolf of Wall Street and not just door to door leeches. Much closer to David Brent than Jordan Belford.

[@Peggers]

Lol facts

[@nuriben7910]

Worse , they earn less than 500 a month

[@LolcowLiveLols]

Cha cha cha ooh la la

[@Marksm50]

Its funny cus the directors think they are some next Jordan Belfort and then they get whats coming to them 😂.

[@harrysmith8090]

🤣muppets in their suits

[@nikos208]

Nothing is coming for them, unfortunately these is all legal

[@nichola9164]

That man half way through is an absolute horror bag.

[@BossySwan]

The Wolf of Pontypandy Street

[@skullzyy6633]

“I understood that reference” 🤣

[@G00N3YC4NG]

This is definitely some of the scummiest behavior I've seen any "company" indulge in. Door to door sales is not in itself a scam, but when you do it like these people it is.

[@aaronbbb5675]

Excellent quality journalism to expose this, really well put together

[@ganm345]

Excellent journalism. Never give to chuggers; find a local charity that you know does good work and donate to them what you can. Never give into pressure tactics

[@BIG2hats]

You think this kinda thing doesn’t go on behind the doors of the official charities too? They ain’t as nice as they appear neither

[@malcolmclements9254]

Red flag No1. Anyone selling to you at your door or on the street is NOT your friend as nice as they pretend to be. Red flag No 2. Anyone selling on behalf of a charity ask yourself who's getting the Lion's share here? It's not the charity, there may not even be a charity. Red flag No 3. Rolling bank payment...run a mile.

[@bradleyhodge9423]

💯percent I’m a door to door salesman I sell internet, TV , sims phones , I would never ever do charity. Ponzi scheme to line people’s pockets I knock doors & when you genuinely help someone save money & it’s a good genuine deed

[@shaenoyt]

Sickening, government needs to do more

[@allways28]

I went for a job interview at a place like this and they hid the nature of the job. On my first day I bailed so quick

[@SuperDanVideos]

I was suckered into the exact same scam when I was 18 here in Australia. All the same tactics used. I was there for four months and spent more money than I ever made. Horrible greedy business

[@XavierPersuades]

by any chance did a polish guy with an australian accent run the company lol

[@zebby99]

This happened to me too in Australia. Even worse I got recommended the job by who I thought was a friend. Made sense when I realised they got paid a referral fee! This type of work shouldn't be allowed

[@SuperDanVideos]

@@XavierPersuades lol no he was an African American guy. Very Charismatic.

[@tripled8807]

This is why you need a Ring Doorbell

[@j797s25]

I’m so over this kind of BS. You constantly see job listing websites littered with these jobs, hear people disappointed because they went for an interview and found out during the interview it is an MLM/scam. There needs to be much stricter laws that make these businesses less desirable for them to exploit everyone from the staff to their customers.

[@harrysmith8090]

Surely their job advertisement was false advertisement?

[@Ianjdgale]

It’s only ever idiots and misfits that go for these jobs.

[@ecwfanatic]

I remember interviewing for a job which seemed legit, walked in and heard others telling the person at the desk they were here for different interviews, that was the first red flag. The second was the worst interviewer I've ever met. He was asking about home life, my hobbies and very little about work history etc. The next day they called to offer me the job but that it would be a different campaign which involves door to door sales. This was nowhere near what the advertised job would entail 😂 it was then that I looked into the company properly and noticed they were a scam like this lot. Since then I've always researched the company very thoroughly so lesson learned.

[@gordonslambsauce7035]

Great journalism well done, greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪

[@jaredbezes7806]

Wow good job. Now that’s journalism; making a difference. Bravo

[@YTLJE]

When I was fresh out of school I applied for a job in “marketing”. I turned up to an office similar to that shown in this clip, before I knew it I was chaperoning somebody for door to door sales that same day, I walked away, called my Dad and asked him to come pick me up. It was the most demoralising 30mins of my life and I sat in silence completely embarrassed that car journey home. I’ve since got a degree and chartership and am in a senior management role in a respected industry with a high salary, to anybody reading this who is doing canvassing please get out -it’s not too late. Watching this video gave me PTSD.

[@HumansAreShitFactories]

You need help.

[@kaynine1958]

I do not give to ANY charity...

[@Blastoice]

What an incredible statement to be proud of, well done you

[@bighas96]

Don't ever

[@chad8813]

​@@Blastoice It's their money. Why you mad?

[@OJ9992]

Any big charity

[@TalltallTim16]

They’re right not to do so. I have a principle that time is more valuable than money. I would rather volunteer my time to a charity rather than give my money towards it.

[@broski7111]

this journalist is sick! 🔥

[@danb1360]

ah yes i had an experience with the Portsmouth version of this, made us go to some day training in Cardiff and pay for the mini bus, when i quit i got told if i was going to cry about it i should leave as i found it morally wrong and for 2 weeks spent my time knocking on peoples doors and telling them why we were in the area and not to open there doors to the others. really pissed me off as a veteran that help for hero's used this lot as well as well as the rspca

[@patsyhowse1919]

Must have made you furious being a veteran and seeing the way funds were being raised for Help For Heroes etc. There's also We R Blighty and Veterans In Need, both CICs that apart from chugging, they go door to door with a card machine. Walter Mitty Hunters Club HQ expose them regularly, hate all the pressure tactics from dodgy companies under the guise of charity- disgusting how they conduct themselves.

[@chad8813]

You're a legend. Proper genuine human

[@sc1788]

Have these directors had any arrests?

[@sharkinadark]

I did this aged 18 in the 90s …..2% went to charity to make it legal

[@furirider4928]

If a guy called me a tomato, I'd turn him into ketchup

[@Degjoy]

The movie “Wolf of Wall Street” definitely celebrates this terrible greed. They even have a cameo from the original conman at the end.

[@ShrewBarrymore]

I worked for one of these places 15 years ago! Can't believe it's still a thing. Awful "companies" run by conmen managers

[@tcpatg3041]

I worked for this exact company for nearly a year, most of the people were nice but really takes a toll on your mental health (and bank account lol)

[@Chino_Eraser2001]

Oh wow. That’s actually crazy. When I graduated from university, I worked for a company like this in London and for me it was Alzheimer’s. Honestly the exact same thing was said when the guy said” and just like the other neighbors, we can count on your support.” I left after one week. Just felt ashamed knocking on people doors and annoying them.

[@alexmousley7213]

Nice investigation- funny how much the scammers who run the company talked at the start and how little when confronted! The sort of pressure sales tactics used, if used on me are likely to result in a bucket of cold water, or, more legally, me just filming them- you know it's dodgy when a salesperson won't go on camera! I detest this sort of exploitation- both of the "self employed" workers who get no pay and of the vulnerable people they try to get to hand over money. If approached by a "chugger" in the street- I am likely to be extremely rude, but, I'd imagine it'd be quite effective to start recording them with my phone- on facebook live!

[@Lushfish8]

I worked for a company like this in Bournemouth. Absolutely hated it. Felt awful and I had no idea beforehand that it was door to door selling especially monthly payment rather than 1 or 2 pounds towards the charity. Sickening. Just looked at my CV and the company was called Fast Track Promotions

[@Obs1986]

The first salesman was borderline insane

[@maurreese]

I was involved in one of these scams here in America and it’s so similar! I was in my early twenties and barely earned anything. This is not the exception of the rule but the norm with these organizations.

[@mike1hav]

Sad thing is they'll just do some other door to door sales now. I'm sure it's the same people I had an interview with years ago. They were selling sky TV door to door back then. As soon as they described the role, I asked "is this door to door sales?". Interviewer said some bullshit of how it isn't technically door to door selling. "I said I disagree with your practise and business" and walked out. It's a scummy sector. No door to door sales or sign ups should be allowed at all in my opinion.

[@infernogamers168]

Good journalism 👏🏼

[@tomharrison5771]

Absolutely mint journalism. Well done Conor.

[@ddhf0]

If you're in the UK Stay away from anything affiliated with Juss Marketing, Link Marketing etc. They are all the same regurgitation of a horrible business model in 2024

[@michaeljames87]

I remember doing a job like this in Cardiff for a day. Many years ago. Never again. They are pricks

[@halosrusty]

It’s these kinds of companies that made me never give to ANY charity. There are much better, effective ways to give to people in need.

[@dsplodge86]

Never give to a charity if they approach you first

[@J-PoN]

We need this in government

[@donrennis7585]

I joined a place like this around 2007 in Wolverhampton. I left after four days there. Exactly the same as in this video. They wouldn't tell me what job I'd signed up for until we actually left the office. They're was a weird team speech by the 'leader' before we left the office. Seeing as I've experienced it first hand, I've never had a problem with instantly telling these people that I'm not interested as soon as they knock on my door. I don't entertain their crap for more than a few seconds. 😂😂

[@Clan501-Scotland]

I was involved in door to door sales with multiple businesses when i was young. Even then charities were the easiest gig in sales. At one point I was making 1-1.5k a week as a 21 yr old lad for a nature charity.

[@SteveMarriott91]

I’ve worked in direct sales for nearly 10 years and I’ve never cold called or put anyone under pressure like these guys do. The way they operate is terrible and I don’t know how they get away with it

[@LostInTheFold]

There are Credico sub-companies doing this in every city in the country, it's absolutely infuriating because by design it's impossible to shut down. Every time I look for a new job I spot a bunch of their misleading adverts talking about a "football mindset" and sure enough I spot another sub-company with a dodgy vague website, all doing door to door and city center sales or charity sign ups. I'm at the stage where if someone knocks on my door to try to sign me up for a charity, I ask them who sent them, look up their site whilst I'm talking to them and then warn them they've not going to get paid what's been promised and they're likely working under the Credico umbrella without even knowing it. Every time you out or investigate the companies, those specific sub-companies shut down but the bigger umbrella just keeps going, because the whole reason they're instructed to make their own companies, is to legally protect the larger group (and the people running them get to play pretend that they're entrepreneurs)

[@DropDetec]

What's even worse is that they all use the same script across all of the sub companies. It's actually terrifying how robotic all these offices become. Speaking from personal experience. They suck

[@LolcowLiveLols]

I worked for one of these for a year, good experience, but poor wages; it's essential like a lottery, your colleague might get the door, make the sale and you'll look over thinking "if only I had knocked", while you've made none that day, they've made their first, it's 8pm, dark and raining. Literally all the practices presented in this video is exactly how that company was ran, and the exact same practices we were told to follow on the doors. It wouldn't suprise me if they are linked (they have offices up and down the country).

[@Mikamichae]

Exactly the same with me, the company was AJG Direct

[@sjh7983]

Amazing work you are the best journalist I have had the joy of watching

[@Disco_Biscuit_]

Great stuff very good journalis

[@Raad187KO]

Great work on this doc 👏🏾

[@Susan-kd3rv]

This has been going on for years , in the 1980s after I left school I got a job with a company that sells windows and conservatory’s , there was 4 groups of us 8 in each , we went door to door going all over London for 4 nights someone in our team got 1 sale , we were so excited thinking we’ll get about £100 to 200 pounds each like we were told wages between £100 up to £400 per week before we stated job , for 4 nights trawling around London all we got was lousy £20.00 each , after that 4 of us quit never went back , I hated it people slamming door in your face or telling you to f*ck off.

[@jamesdean5506]

I worked for a company call “ Home fundraising “ and I made quite a lot of money weekly on top of my wage. Wage was £160 a week then all the bonus sign ups on top of that were paid also on top of that . I was a good salesman and not like these people I’d ask donors to sign for 1month then tell them to cancel after that if they wanted to ( so I still got paid ). £400-£600 a week I used to get working normal hours 3pm-9pm with around 20-25 sign ups but on road trips which had us working longer hours the most I made in 1 week was £1.1k. If anyone reading this is working in door to door sales leave old people alone , students are your gold mine 😂 ( your welcome )

[@rsosamarcelo]

So true haha feels like a ‘brand ambassador’ job I was in 😂

[@DaTruth1017]

*Send these corrupted, misleading & vile companies to watchdog & trading standards*

[@Blaake44]

They almost tricked me into a Job identical to this in Edinburgh about 10 years ago. I left after 1 day once i figured them out. im sure i even remember the ''were going to Miami'' line 😂😂💯💯

[@rudy8409]

Worked for one of these for a couple months... a lot of days you go home with nothing having paid for travel. Its a bad job.

[@zerosilver87]

Cultural enrichment

[@johnholt9062]

Brilliant journalism 👏 how it should be, not playing distraction for big corp.

[@tc9634]

Also worth saying 90% of the people who work there are desperate minimum wage people - don't hate them for trying to work.

[@craighenson88]

I worked for a company like this over 10 years ago. I can't believe it still goes on.

[@gordongannon]

Jamal.... good old Welsh name 😂😂

[@m1khlas1]

Who cares about name? you only care about asian name? what about the white guy ben wallace?

[@BESTOFTHEBEST123]

English are better than the welsh 😅

[@shiamchowdhury5427]

Nice one idiot. If you were judging the tribunal Ben Wallace would get away scott free?

[@KahramanEafghanistan]

Come on now let’s not pick and choose , that was the only non welsh guy there , everybody else was a welshmen

[@myzamau428]

Should have known someone with the name of Jamal would be leading it.

[@marlonscloud]

The reason they called the reporter tomato and other ridiculous names, is these guys believe themselves so intelligent and capable, that they can convince someone into a sale even with the "handicap" of silly names. It's actually quite sad

[@Man_fay_the_Bru]

Why are all the shifty (blck) salesman blurred out & the one whte isnt

[@redactedcomment709]

Thank you for noticing also! Not just me

[@OS-yg9fr]

​@@redactedcomment709except that's false.

[@elliotts9401]

excellent journalism 👍🏼

[@JohnJones-ct9pr]

The moment I hear the spiel I simply close the door without saying a word.

[@riddler442]

I can smell the Lynx Africa through the video.

[@thebesttheworst2277]

... *and taste the Greggs Sausage Roll & Monster Energy drink.*

[@kelseywhitlatch173]

11:37 it was a typo. They really meant 40.00 to 65.00£ a week

[@BLS5432]

If this shocks you, you should see what the timeshare industry has been doing for the past 10+ years!

[@Foralluhaterz]

I met this fools and they had the nerve to say all priceeds to to dead children neaning their back pocket

[@DaniBrennan77]

Thank you! 👏

[@FPSmodz-]

Put a 'no cold callers' sign on your elderly/vulnerable relative/friend's door.

[@kennethmaney914]

Cold calling is totally illegal in Britain. You should have explained that.

[@bradleymilton9372]

Shocking

[@grafito4438]

The solicitor says "looks like you're losing out" on your earnings. Because that's as far as they will go when it comes to self-employed the government washes their hands of it - you are on your own.

[@JohnFisherChoir]

this feels like how all sales job are

[@cmsaunli]

Great work.

[@Lady_Jay]

this is why i have a ringdoor bell easy to just say no

[@Lushfish8]

I worked for a company like this in Bournemouth. Absolutely hated it. Felt awful and I had no idea beforehand that it was door to door selling especially monthly payment rather than 1 or 2 pounds towards the charity. Sickening

[@kern4338]

I worked at one of these during a summer break and left after the first day of going round and knocking on people's doors as it made me feel sick how the people were trying to trick people into signing up. Disgusten

[@sb_2378]

“We’re like the wolf of Wall Street” 🤦‍♂️

[@G00N3YC4NG]

Deuces! 🚶

[@shermanwaren159]

A liverpudian and a pakistani. Classic combo.

[@bch4688]

I work in social services for the elderly and this is absolutely heartbreaking.. these young people trying to be buisnessmen is comical.. parents must be really proud

[@tigertigercrypto]

Excellent. 💪💪💪

[@Jac70]

Any job where the at the interview they are trying to sell it to you is a red flag.

[@liamgerrard2246]

Fantastic journalism

[@PnutButter1986]

I worked one day for guys exactly like this in Kent. I was 30 at the time and there was a room.full of 19 year olds listening to dance music like they describe here. I decided i was done when the guy who was 'training' me was pushing a vulnerable old man to make monthly payments. Crooks all of them

[@BoSSLeVeLs]

I bet the managers watch boiler room ALOT

[@thebesttheworst2277]

... *Bryn Diesel*

[@margaretgreenwood4243]

Thank you for this

[@SuperKiko112]

You normally discuss salary before starting a job right !