A charm auction was terminated on or about July 7, 2004. This is part of the bulletin board dialog.

Another auction was terminated on or about July 15 2004. This is the bulletin board dialog.

The American Red Cross joined the VeRO Program in June, 2004. It doesn't have a VeRO Member Page like a lot of others. You have to try and figure out their "message" by looking up the Red Cross member using their eBay id of arcnq and going to the About Me Page by clicking on their "ME" symbol.

In our opinion, the Red Cross is not really "protecting" their logo and trademarks but more preying on the individual who is innocently marketing items bearing a red cross. If the Red Cross really wanted to protect their logo, they would go after the manufacturer of the items, not the small seller. You go after the source. The small seller can't afford to fight back even though the position of the Red Cross may not be as good as they claim it is.

To support our opinion, we have de-constructed the Red Cross About Me page, commenting where we think they are right as well as where we think they are blowing smoke. Click Here to see where we think they are distorting facts, misrepresenting the truth, and occasionally being factual.

We don't have an objection to the Red Cross protecting their trademarks. There are people out there who are trying to cheat others by illegally soliciting monies by misrepresenting themselves. That is a crime and should be prosecuted. Innocent infringers, if they are really infringing and not just part of a Red Cross witch hunt, should be told to stop, and then if they don't, terminate the auctions. Alas, the Red Cross, like many other VeRO members, does not take the time. They are too busy. But not too busy to shut down small auctions while ignoring the manufacturers. And, they are paying some minion to troll the internet looking for these petty violators. No what we would call money well spent.

Perhaps the American Red Cross should spend more time cleaning house and paying better attention to the monies collected and how it's spent? We collected some interesting articles that show the Red Cross isn't everything they would like you to believe, including one where the Red Cross refuses donations from Overstock.com. Makes one wonder just where is the money going? Instead of spending funds monitoring eBay for minor and non-infringing auctions, the Red Cross could find a better way to help people. After all, helping people is supposed to be their goal, not persecuting them.

As far as we are concerned, donate your money to other charities.