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7 Ways the Duggars Completely Exploit Their Fans

Reality TV

Oct 16, 2017 4:47 pm·

By Tiffany White

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Since appearing on 19 Kids and Counting and now Counting On, the Duggars have preached that it's possible to be happy living on very little money. After all, considering they're a family of 20+ members, the Duggars are proud shoppers of second-hand clothing shops, Goodwill stores, and of course, Walmart. Earlier this year, the Duggars shared on their Facebook that money was the "root of all evil."

Which is probably why fans find it a little hypocritical when they try to solicit money from them, whether it's to fund shady missionary trips or buy them those Target gift cards they "must" have for some reason. Considering the Duggars already receive money from TLC, many people think they should probably use that money for charities and not for, you know, themselves. Below, all the time the Duggars shamelessly asked their fans to pony up cash to support their lifestyle.

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1. They asked fans to fund their "missionary work."

Jill and her husband Derick Dillard were under fire from fans after their missionary group, Dillard Family Ministries, was accused of being a "scam." Over the years, Derick continuously asked fans for thousands in donations to help with his missionary work. But fans grew suspicious when, after Derick asked for $20,000 for a new trip, they noticed the Dillards were back in Arkansas after only two months in Central America.

Eventually, fans started to suspect that the Dillards were merely using money from their fans to pay for airplane tickets and their cost of living. “I [love] you all and Jill and Derick but it [concerns] me that I am sending [money] for them to do missions and [they] fly home 2 times for weddings," one fan wrote on Facebook. "I want to know if my cash is paying for this or [ministry]. I want to serve the Lord and I want to give [but] I need to know my money is being used right.” Under pressure from angry fans, the Dillards eventually suspended their missionary work in August 2017.

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2. Jessa Duggar charged fans for fashion advice.

Since all the Duggar daughters are known for their floor-length skirts, a style they call "fashionably modest," Jessa decided to give fans some tips on how they can dress up in T-shirts and skirts just like her — but for a price. When she announced she would be a guest speaker at a church event called Fashionably Modest With Jessa, ticket prices were an unmodest $20. “Being paid to talk about your modest lifestyle seems like an oxymoron,” one fan said on The Duggar Family Blog.

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3. They asked for money from fans after their show 19 Kids and Counting was canceled.

When news broke that Josh Duggar molested some of his sisters, there was a national outcry. TLC responded by canceling their show, much to the chagrin of the Duggar family, who took to their YouTube account to plead for donations from their fans. On their page, they added a shameless "support" button. “Every contribution is helpful, big or small,” they claimed. After fans dragged them for begging for money, they took the button down.

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4. Jessa and Ben Seewald asked fans for gift cards and cash.

Back in 2015, the couple listed a mailing address in a post featured on the family's blog asking fans for gifts cards from Target and Walmart. “I may be wrong but TLC and their personal appearances [probably] pay them well," a fan wrote. "Donate to a charity in their name.” The blog post was later edited to remove instructions for donations.

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5. The Duggars encourage fans to sign up for conferences so that they can get in for free.

On the family's Facebook, Jim Bob and Michelle are always promoting family camps and conferences, particularly one called ALERT. That might not seem like a big deal at first, but as one fan pointed out, per The Stir, the Duggars are allegedly getting compensated by promoting these pricey conferences to their fans. "Advertising the Alert academy every few days means they are getting free admissions for their kids," the fan wrote. "It costs thousands of dollars for these courses."

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6. Joy-Anna asked fans to send wedding gifts to Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell.

Before the couple tied the knot in October 2017, Joy-Anna shared the couple's wedding registry online so that fans could buy the couple a gift. “Very, very uncool," one fan wrote. "There are ways to circulate this info to the guests. This is a gift solicitation for the FANS."

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7. Amy Duggar asked fans for engagement gifts.

The "rebellious" cousin of the family announced her 2015 engagement on Instagram. She later shared an additional message that featured her mailing address so that fans could send her gifts and cards. "For us, it's not really about the gifts or money, but we would like the chance to personally thank everyone!" she added in the caption. Fans weren't falling for it, though. “Wow just wow! Why do we need to send you gifts?" a fan wrote. "Don't you already have enough? Maybe you should donate all those gifts people send you. Selfish.”