Benevolence at 7am
Posted March 24th, 2003 @ 09:04am by Erik J. Barzeski
Good thing I'm awake at 7am normally because at exactly 7:15am this morning, the "Police Benevolence Society" or somesuch silly group called me soliciting funds. I've been called by nearly every law enforcement, fire fighting, and volunteer organization remotely connected with either of those in the past few months, and frankly, it's getting annoying. They call at all times of the day and night and, much like telemarketers, simply won't take no, forcing me to be rude and hang up. I don't like to be rude.
I have about $4 billion in taxes to pay. No, I don't have $15 in exchange for a decal I wouldn't stick on my car anyway. No, I do not want to be on your calling list. But can they remove me at my request? Apparently not. How are these groups above the laws? The ones that say you've got to stop pestering someone who requests that you stop pestering them via phone. Oh wait, I can't exactly file a claim against them. The police would love that. 😛
I give to charity. I support the groups in which I believe, when I can, and it's in far greater amounts than $15. But today, at 7:15am, I really did not want to help my local policemen. I pay taxes, I'm a law-abiding citizen, etc. 7:15am? Refusing to remove me from your list? That's rude.
Donate Life
Posted 24 Mar 2003 at 9:18am #
I have a friend who rec'd a phone call from one of those "support your police" groups and he told them he'd consider donating cash to them when they stopped rallying behind the likes of the cops involved in the Rodney King incident. He hasn't rec'd a call since. But we also wonder if there also hasn't been a "delay 15 minutes" notation added to his addresses entry in the 911 database.
Posted 24 Mar 2003 at 12:11pm #
I believe there is a law stating that solicitors cannot call your house before 8am and after 9pm. It just may be my state, but I would look into it.
Posted 24 Mar 2003 at 12:18pm #
There is tons of telemarketer info here at this site. They even have a script for you to read.
http://www.junkbusters.com/telemarketing.html
Or you could just cancel your home phone like I did. Just use the cell phone now. No more telemarketers!
Posted 24 Mar 2003 at 3:31pm #
Yea I'm one of those annoying (to the robots who man the lines) people who knows my rights and not only demands that I be put on their do-not-call list but that I recieve a written copy of of their policy. It's the law. Usually they don't know it but their manager does. They really get serious when you bust out the written policy line.
Posted 25 Mar 2003 at 1:05pm #
I've never received a telemarketing call from a real PD, FD, etc. Any calls that purport to be from such an agency are not. Tell them you will donate to whatever cause they want, but you will only donate thru the mail, not with credit-card info over the phone to an un-verified clown.
Posted 17 Aug 2005 at 12:48pm #
Okay so you got a few comments from other haters like yourself..now hear it from the other end! First of all, a person who calls you and solicits funds is a PAID telefundraiser--not a telemarketer, who is someone trying to sell something, and is also paid. A telefundraiser has to be bonded and listed with the Attorney General, as do his/her employer. The company that the fundraiser works for is retained by the organization, so we are calling on their behalf. If it is indeed a legit company, the caller should be able to name the company, and tell you the split of profits--what part his company recieves and what part actually goes to the charity. The split is usually around 75/25. Furthermore...we are trained not to take no for an answer. With our scripts we are provided a list of rebuttals to use and are instructed to keep trying til you hang up. In the future and simple "no thank you" and then hang up would be most appreciated...you are wasting valuable time for us both by listening and attempting to be polite. If you know you are not going to donate then just tell me up front and disconnect the call! I could be calling someone else who WILL care enough to give! You really do not think about what I have to deal with as a telefundraiser! I have been threatened, sworn at, had the phone slammed in my ear, yelled at, told my job was lower than prostitution, and been belittled and accused of having lower intelligence than a cave man! People put the phone down and walk away from it letting me talk to myself. They hang up on me in mid-sentence. They put their two-year-old on the phone to babble at me while I try to talk. You act as if I am sub-human, when in fact all I am trying to do is put a paycheck in my pocket at the end of the week, just like everyone else! Telemarketers/fundraisers have families and feelings too! Try to go a bit easier on the blue-collar people, huh?