Where are YOUR donations going? Company pays to fly backpackers to Australia to collect charity donations on street corners (and keep 90c in every dollar you donate)

Charity muggers, or 'chuggers', stand on city streets asking for donations

Once company is offering the 'specialised' workers a paid airfare for in return for six months work



Follows claims Between 85 to 95 per cent of first year donations line marketer's pockets

It can take four years for charities to see 75 cents in every dollar donated

Backpackers and tourists branded 'chuggers', or charity muggers, are being offered paid return flights to Australia, where they are earn their employers as much as 90 cents in every dollar donated.

The company behind the scheme, Cornucopia Consultants, defended its free-flight program, stating it is only offered it to the best collectors with 'specialist skills' that are hard to find in Australia.

'Great fundraisers are hard to find, and our travel incentive is only offered to experienced fundraising professionals,' the company said in a statement.

Chuggers at work in London. 'Chugger' is short for charity mugger, a term used to describe charity workers who stand on street corners asking for donations

With on-street donations, donors are asked to make month-to-month financial commitments to their chosen charity. Collectors are paid a commission on sign-up, when donors hand over their bank or credit card details for monthly donations, and their employers take a cut of every dollar donated.



If donors commit to a short period, say 12 months, marketers start turning huge profits of between 85 to 95 cents in every dollar pledged. The percentage the charity receives increases over time, and tops out at around 7h cents in the dollar after four years.



MailOnline attempted to contact Cornucopia Consultants about the face-to-face fundraising scheme without success. It also tried to contact The Fred Hollows Foundation and Oxfam, two charities who have used Cornucopia for face-to-face fundraising in the past.

Charity marketers Cornucopia, there offices pictured here, say only the best people are employed and flown for free from the UK, America and Europe to work as charity collectors

Cornucopia, however, did issue a statement which said workers are trained to make people commit to donations on a long-term basis.

'Face-to-face fundraising is an effective way for people to connect with the charities that they want to support, and to provide long term financial support to charities.'

It also said regular donations provides charities with a very good source of predictable, long term income, and is 'one of the most effective ways for people to support their chosen causes'.

