In 2013, I happily signed up through Plan Canada to sponsor my first sponsor child. After giving my visa number and personal information to an overly friendly and enthusuastic employee via a handheld machine, I was verbally informed that I am now a sponsor parent and that a reciept and greeting letter would be sent to me via email and that my care package (sponsor childs picture and info) would be mailed to me in two weeks time. A month had passed and I had not recieved my care package in the mail nor my reciept via email. Also no money had been removed from my account. I decided to call the Toronto head office. It was then that I was informed that an account had been made in my name but that the card number wasn't valid. I had expeirenced credit card theft online a only few weeks after signing up (coincidence?) and had forgotten to notify the organization.
We then fixed the issue and I was told that my care package would be sent that day and arrive in another two weeks time. Unfortunately, another month had passed where I had yet to recieve my care package. However, this time money was withdrawn from my account. I once again dialed the head office to find out what the hold up was seeing as I reside in the next city over, only a half hour commute (no reason for the delay). After I explained my situation to the phone rep he went to verify my personal information and billing info. I actually laughed when he did. Turned out this time my billing information was correct but they had butchered my first and last name (both common names). I found it to be absolutely absurd and the phone rep had a good giggle over it to. He once again reassured me that my personal information was now correct and that my care package would be sent out that day and arrive in two weeks time.
Again I waited, almost 2 months had now passed. Still no reciept, and still no care package. However, I received a letter in the mail from Plan Canada addressing that the monthly rates were due to increase in the following year for long-term sponsor parents. It didn't apply to me but I was upset because this letter made its way to my front door yet I had still not recieved my care package. Also, I had found that my name was still spelt totally butchered when I was told that it had been fixed since that was apparently the issue for it not being mailed in the first place! So, I dialed head office for the third time, this time obviously upset, explained the situation, the phone rep checked my personal information and guess what? Wrong city on file. I gave him a mouthful and was once again told that my information was correct and my care package would be sent out that day. Two more months pass and I've heard nothing and recieved nothing in the mail. I'm at work on my lunch, I bring it up to a few employees who are also sponsor parents and I crack. I'm obviously being scammed.
So I called head office one last time. The phone rings and rings until I finally get a hold of a rep. Again I explain my situation, how I've gone months without knowing who I am sponsoring, yet money is continously being withdrawn from my account. I demand to speak to her manager, I'm then placed on hold. I repeat my situation to the manager, blood boiling in my viens, I demand to know where my money has been going and she calmly tells me, "Don't you know? Your first sponsor child was a girl in China but that didn't work out. Now you're sponsoring a young girl in India". My jaw dropped to the floor. "Two!? You're telling me that I've had two sponsor children in the past 6 months and I have had ZERO knowledge of any of this!!" And with that I gave her a piece of my mind and told her to cancel my sponsorship and to give me my money back, which she then refused. The very next day I went to work, finished my shift and came home to a rather large package placed on my doorstep. It was the care package in all its glory, only 6 months late and tactically sent out the day after I cancelled my sponsorship. I opened it, took one look at the childs photo, shed a few tears and picked up my phone and chewed that phone reps ear off until he hung up on me.
Never in my life have I been more disgusted. My faith in humanity was breifly lost, by of all things, a childrens organization. I have nothing but pure disgust towards Plan Canada. Scammers!! A few things to note; I am not married therefore my name has never changed since my birth. I still reside in my childhood home therefore my address did not and has not ever changed. At one point during my phone conversation with a Plan Canada rep I was told not to call their head office as it takes money away from the children. I'm aware that organizations this large do take the sponsoring seriously for some of their customers but now I understand that it is only done to keep their corrupt alternative motives hidden under the rug from the general public.
Plan Canada Reviews
In 2013, I happily signed up through Plan Canada to sponsor my first sponsor child. After giving my visa number and personal information to an overly friendly and enthusuastic employee via a handheld machine, I was verbally informed that I am now a sponsor parent and that a reciept and greeting letter would be sent to me via email and that my care package (sponsor childs picture and info) would be mailed to me in two weeks time. A month had passed and I had not recieved my care package in the mail nor my reciept via email. Also no money had been removed from my account. I decided to call the Toronto head office. It was then that I was informed that an account had been made in my name but that the card number wasn't valid. I had expeirenced credit card theft online a only few weeks after signing up (coincidence?) and had forgotten to notify the organization.
We then fixed the issue and I was told that my care package would be sent that day and arrive in another two weeks time. Unfortunately, another month had passed where I had yet to recieve my care package. However, this time money was withdrawn from my account. I once again dialed the head office to find out what the hold up was seeing as I reside in the next city over, only a half hour commute (no reason for the delay). After I explained my situation to the phone rep he went to verify my personal information and billing info. I actually laughed when he did. Turned out this time my billing information was correct but they had butchered my first and last name (both common names). I found it to be absolutely absurd and the phone rep had a good giggle over it to. He once again reassured me that my personal information was now correct and that my care package would be sent out that day and arrive in two weeks time.
Again I waited, almost 2 months had now passed. Still no reciept, and still no care package. However, I received a letter in the mail from Plan Canada addressing that the monthly rates were due to increase in the following year for long-term sponsor parents. It didn't apply to me but I was upset because this letter made its way to my front door yet I had still not recieved my care package. Also, I had found that my name was still spelt totally butchered when I was told that it had been fixed since that was apparently the issue for it not being mailed in the first place! So, I dialed head office for the third time, this time obviously upset, explained the situation, the phone rep checked my personal information and guess what? Wrong city on file. I gave him a mouthful and was once again told that my information was correct and my care package would be sent out that day. Two more months pass and I've heard nothing and recieved nothing in the mail. I'm at work on my lunch, I bring it up to a few employees who are also sponsor parents and I crack. I'm obviously being scammed.
So I called head office one last time. The phone rings and rings until I finally get a hold of a rep. Again I explain my situation, how I've gone months without knowing who I am sponsoring, yet money is continously being withdrawn from my account. I demand to speak to her manager, I'm then placed on hold. I repeat my situation to the manager, blood boiling in my viens, I demand to know where my money has been going and she calmly tells me, "Don't you know? Your first sponsor child was a girl in China but that didn't work out. Now you're sponsoring a young girl in India". My jaw dropped to the floor. "Two!? You're telling me that I've had two sponsor children in the past 6 months and I have had ZERO knowledge of any of this!!" And with that I gave her a piece of my mind and told her to cancel my sponsorship and to give me my money back, which she then refused. The very next day I went to work, finished my shift and came home to a rather large package placed on my doorstep. It was the care package in all its glory, only 6 months late and tactically sent out the day after I cancelled my sponsorship. I opened it, took one look at the childs photo, shed a few tears and picked up my phone and chewed that phone reps ear off until he hung up on me.
Never in my life have I been more disgusted. My faith in humanity was breifly lost, by of all things, a childrens organization. I have nothing but pure disgust towards Plan Canada. Scammers!! A few things to note; I am not married therefore my name has never changed since my birth. I still reside in my childhood home therefore my address did not and has not ever changed. At one point during my phone conversation with a Plan Canada rep I was told not to call their head office as it takes money away from the children. I'm aware that organizations this large do take the sponsoring seriously for some of their customers but now I understand that it is only done to keep their corrupt alternative motives hidden under the rug from the general public.