Don’t call me anymore
March 3rd, 2006 by Larry D. Burton
Years ago I use to get an enjoyment out of getting phone calls from telemarketers. I enjoyed it because it gave me an opportunity to mess with people. I’d get phone calls from people representing banks trying to sign me up for a credit card and I’d start asking about checking and savings accounts. I would start talking about my kids and make up stories to interrupt their sales pitch with. My southern accent would become even more pronounced with a backwoods air to it and I would try to draw them as far off track as I could. It was amazing how well some of them could steer the conversation back to their sales pitch. It was also funny when they lost it. My goal was to get them to hang up on me.
Over the years this ceased to be enjoyable to me and I put my number on as many “Do Not Call” registries as I could find. I still get the calls though, just now I don’t answer them. Caller ID has been a remarkable aid for that. I do keep track of who calls my number, though. My FAX machine has a wonderful little feature that prints out a call report after every thirty phone calls. Eleven out of my last thirty calls to my home phone number have been from tollfree numbers. I just called back a couple of them and reached voice mail for “The Charitable and Non-Profit Organization’s Fundraising Office.” Googling the numbers brought me to this page.
After reading quite a few of the comments, some of them from Telemarketing Service Representatives, I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no way to really deal telemarketers other than to have caller ID and just not answer the phone if you don’t know who is calling. My cell phone is the only phone I’ll answer now unless I recognize the number and I don’t know how long I will continue to be able to do that.
Just to add to the list of confirmed telemarketer numbers the following is what I have so far. I’ll add to this list as my list grows.:
- 866-877-9755 (The Charitable and Non-Profit Organization’s Fundraising Office)
- 877-874-9769 (The Charitable and Non-Profit Organization’s Fundraising Office)
- 888-211-9742 (The Charitable and Non-Profit Organization’s Fundraising Office)
- 800-931-9744 (Charitable and Non-Profit Organization’s Fundraising Office)
- 888-271-8484 (Busy, probably Charitable and Non-Profit Organization’s Fundraising Office)
- 888-592-8181 (Charitable and Non-Profit Organization’s Fundraising Office)
- 888-766-3512 (Cancer Fund of America)
- 888-766-3512 (Cancer Fund of America)
Most likely Charitable and Non-Profit Organization’s Fundraising Office is actually and outfit called JAK Productions. Cancer Fund of America doesn’t score too well on CharityNavigator.org.
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Just this past week I finally did something I have thought about for some time. I discontinued my “wire” telephone service. I am on cell phone only from now on. With me, it was as much a matter of not using the land line for much of anything, including long distance calls, which are not many for me anyway.
And even with “no call” lists, as you found, Larry, there are “charities” of dubious provenance. Not to mention political campaigns, which should be gearing up soon, with this being an election year for Congress.
Yes, caller ID was the only thing that made my telephone of any use to me over the past several years. Now, if they just don’t change things and allow telemarketers on cell phones…
I have been getting repeated calls from this number 888-211-9742.
I didn’t answer because of caller ID but today I Googled it just for the heck of it.
Thanks for your list. Its satisfying to know who I am ignoring.
888 211 9742 “Charitable Fundraising Offices”
Annoying enough that they call at 7 O’Clock in the morning, but when I answered the phone they didn’t even speak. After *69 I got the number and called back to hear the voice mail identifying them as “Charitable Fundraising Offices”. This is not the first time. I want to report this as annoying and harassing since no one speaks when I answer. Anyone have any ideas who I should report this to? I live in Denver.
I just received 2 calls within a matter of minutes of each other and found both listed here. I listed my phone number on the “Do not call” website several months ago and it has done a really good job at eliminating the annoying calls. Anyway, I just went back to the website (www.dontocall.gov) and filed a complaint with them citing the following numbers:
888-592-8181 & 888-211-9742. I suggest that if you haven’t already done so, register with these folks and you should see a drastic decrease of these types of call (It’s free!). It will also give you a place to go and report annoying calls. Hope this helps!
I am sick and tired of these people calling me from 888-211-9742. They call us on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 8 am! Is there any relief from these people? Has anyone discovered anything to get them to stop calling and do they realize how this is hurting their charities.
Disgusting.
Just googled 888 592-8181 and found your site.
Sadly, this outfit keeps calling our home even on Sundays. The number they are calling is registered on the National Do Not Call list.
I am getting a sinking suspicion though that unscruplous firms are using that list.
In violation of FCC Laws 888 592-8181 is blocking their Caller ID data.
Just thought I would share.
I too am receiving annoying calls from JAK Productions Inc who are calling for contributions for the Fraternal Order of Police - Virginia. They are very aggressive and have no problem calling on weekend mornings. Don’t my taxes pay for Police? Someone should look into this and make it stop. I recall receiving similar calls from JAK Productions Inc. this same time of year over the past 3-years. I am on the National Do Not Call List and also subscribe to Verizon Call Intercept. Enough is enough, this needs to stop.
JAK Productions Inc operate out of Parkersburg West Virginia. They are using 800-931-9744 now. You can call them at 304-422-9363 or 9360. The call center managers name is Paul Susie, the daytime supervisor is Jeff Matenly and the evening supervisor is Paul Susie. Get even, start calling them. I hope to get their home phone number soon, so they can get a taste of their own medicine. Say hi to Terra the receptionist when you call. Oh, I almost forgot, they all work for JAK Productions, 4501 Circle 75 Parkway, STE E5280, Atlanta GA 30339-3025, and their federal employee number is 531597985. The head cheese is John Aberham Keller.
I just called (304) 422-9363 and asked to be removed from the phone list. JAK has been auto-dialing us at all hours under contract to the Virginia Fraternal Order of Police. Note that if your telephone service is VOIP, you can block the numbers permanently as they are logged by your service. The JAK receptionist transferred me to “Todd” (the name may actually have been Paul, but he spoke too quickly for me to catch the name). When I asked why JAK does not run the “Do Not Call” list against their auto-dial directory, I was informed that the “Do Not Call” prohibitions do not apply to non-profits. That may be true, but as I am a lawyer, you can bet I’ll be inquiring as to the ability of JAK to exploit this loophole in the future.
I just called (304) 422-9363 and talked to Teresa. She wanted to know how we got the name Paul Susie and how we got this number, she wasn’t too happy to talk at all. She said that the number gives you an option to be taken off the list. Not. She ‘cut me off’ when I tried to tell her the number does not give the option. But with hesitation she finally said she would take us off the calling list. Ironically, not even 5 minutes after this call, I got another call. Believe it or not there was a person on the other end of the line. This man after I told him what I went through also said he would take me off the list. Time will tell, I’ll get back if they keep calling. I plan to check in to this more as I am retired and have nothing else to do and plenty of resources to do it.
I to live in Denver. The local Fraternal Order of Police organizations have historically engaged in or hired deceptive and dubious phone harassment. While “charities’ are exempt under the federal and state “no-Call” laws, it is misdomenor to call and not communicate, i.e. call and hangup. I urge everyone to make complaints regarding this groups practices as the representitives in the attourny generals office told me - the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Using my VOIP (Sunrocket $199/year) I have blocked these harrasing callers:
(602) 454-2261 [ Remove]
(303) 755-3878 [ Remove]
(206) 415-9274 [ Remove]
(571) 522-1332 [ Remove]
(888) 888-8888 [ Remove]
(360) 362-5393 [ Remove]
(402) 517-9978 [ Remove]
(425) 256-3782 [ Remove]
(253) 218-3389 [ Remove]
(303) 308-2414 [ Remove]
(877) 301-0086 [ Remove]
(402) 631-0704 [ Remove]
(720) 422-5094 [ Remove]
(720) 339-1179 [ Remove]
(636) 379-2399 [ Remove]
(303) 669-6523 [ Remove]
(206) 219-1301 [ Remove]
(818) 880-1846 [ Remove]
(636) 980-1304 [ Remove]
(636) 980-1301 [ Remove]
(636) 980-1302 [ Remove]
(636) 980-1303 [ Remove]
(818) 401-3812 [ Remove]
(303) 237-4730 [ Remove]
(303) 280-8689 [ Remove]
(402) 758-2800 [ Remove]
(610) 238-6600 [ Remove]
(303) 697-3742 [ Remove]
(303) 698-7963 [ Remove]
(303) 428-5600 [ Remove]
(303) 698-2266 [ Remove]
(303) 698-2437 [ Remove]
(303) 935-1452 [ Remove]
(612) 345-5300 [ Remove]
(111) 111-1309 [ Remove]
(111) 111-1262 [ Remove]
(818) 878-7900 [ Remove]
(800) 370-6221 [ Remove]
(303) 650-6428 [ Remove]
(303) 434-1306 [ Remove]
(913) 538-5216 [ Remove]
(913) 538-5763 [ Remove]
(913) 338-1947 [ Remove]
(303) 978-0599 [ Remove]
(501) 764-1915 [ Remove]
(866) 877-9755 [ Remove]
(888) 211-9742 [ Remove]
(877) 874-9769 [ Remove]
(800) 931-9744 [ Remove]
(888) 271-8484 [ Remove]
(888) 592-8181 [ Remove]
(888) 766-3512 [ Remove]
Well, add me to the list of persons who have found you by doing a search. Yep, I have been called by “Charitable Fundraising Offices” daily for 3 days. Despite leaving them a voicemail and asking that they not call again, they continue, (of course, what was I thinking, that they would actually comply with my request?).
What makes it worse is that I’m a night worker, and they call just as I’m getting to sleep, about 8 a.m. And, as you have experienced, they don’t even speak when I answer the phone on the first ring.
Thanks for being here,
Judy F.
I am so sick of getting hang up calls or unintelligle messages from The Charitable and Non-Profit Organization’s Fundraising Office!
Several years ago I made the mistake of contributing to the Fulton County Fraternal Order of Police - or some such mumbo jumbo in a moment of weakness, and within days I was bombarded with form letters soliciting contributions from similar charities. The letters were worded almost identically and other than changing the color of the header on the page they were all the same. then the calls started. For years now, I too have been receiving calls from 888-211-9742 and 888-592-8181 and other toll free numbers which trace back to these strong arm bandits . I have gotten so angry that I have called the number back and let fly with language that would make a sailor blush! I would hate to be the person having to listen to those voice messages!!!
I live in Georgia and I’m sorely tempted to go visit JAK Productions in Marietta.
I did find an old link to Cathy Cox’s website in 2003 which details just how much these sob’s have raised and just how much the charity actually received. 18.92% is what the charity got. It’s makes you wonder why a legitmate charity would have anything to do with these kind of tactics. I found it by Googling JAK Productions.
Think I’ll have to be making some phone calls of my own…
I have been receiving calls from 800-931-9744 every single night after I have told them repeatedly to stop calling. Tonight they just called and hung up on me. I have just added them to my blocked call list on my call intercept. They will now receive a message that the person they are trying to call does not want to be reached.
We need to spread the word so unsuspecting people don’t give any money to these idiots!!!!!
Usually I just ignore telemarketers. But when I feel like it I like to swear like a sailor at them or blast an air-horn through the phone at them. And I report every one to the Do Not Call people. Most of these foul bastards are calling on behalf of charities, so they might be exempt, but I report them anyways.
The worst recent offender in the telemarketing department (for me, at least) seems to be the “Dove Foundation” (800-679-0336), a Grand Rapids, Mich. “charity” dedicated to censoring movies. I sometimes got one or two calls a day from them every day for a two weeks, then a span of another two weeks with three to five calls, and then none at all for another month. At first, I thought the woman who called, who identified herself as “Cami” was something of a dimwit, because she failed to comprehend that she was talking to my answering machine.
…”Hello, this is Cami, may I please speak with the lady of the house?”
…(my answering machine says nothing)
…”Um, ok, is the lady of the house in?”
…(Nothing happens)
…Here, “Cami” says one of at least three things I’ve heard, all of them having to do with trying again later.
She also seems not to know that I am single and there is no “lady of the house.” However, after a few such calls, I began to notice that she never seemed to figure out she was talking to a machine, and not only did she always say the same thing every time, word for word, the pitch and cadence of the words was also exactly the same every time, leading me to conclude that “Cami” is a computer. Answering the phone and ordering her (it?) to take me off of its call list has produced no effect. Neither did blasting her (it?) with the air horn. Neither did reporting this imbecilic charity to the Do Not Call people. Perhaps the Michigan Attorney General could be the next step.
Besides telescammers, I’m continually being bombarded with regular junk mail from charities and that pisses me off even more than the phone calls, because the junk mail comes almost every day and it takes a lot more effort to haul all that worthless shit to the recycling center than to hang up the phone. Don’t come to me with your hand out, vile fuckers! I wouldn’t give a dime to your fucking charity if it meant the electric chair. I work for my money and I pay my taxes, if you want a free ride go and bribe your congressman, that’s how it’s done.
I just got a call from the number 877-301-0086. Usually if theres an unfamilar number I’ll google it if they don’t leave a message. I do this because people who I know or want to talk to do leave messages. Too many times I’ll see a number I don’t know and won’t pick it up. Then they don’t leave a message. I’ll let it happen afew times before picking it up and blasting them out if they are a telemarketer.
Anyways I called the number back and got some dude who seemed nice enough so I didn’t start off yelling at him. Instead I simply asked to be taken off the list. He said it usually takes 30 days etc. Fine.
As long as you say you don’t want to be bothered by any person who calls they have to accept this. Doesn’t matter who they are charity wise or the typical We got your name from a company you do business with. If thats the case I want the name of the company. Usually they can’t provide it and I know they are breaking the laws and so don’t they. Thats when I threaten legal action and the calls cease. Ofcourse then they just send the info to another marketing firm. Bastards!!! Anyways thank for the info.
Do you want to hear a better one…my spouce is a police officer and is a part of the FOP. He gives through his lodge and we asked them to stop calling us. They still call. I think it is rude for them to disrespect even the folks that they are supposedly supporting. It is just plain wrong…
I received 2 phone calls, one at 1:08:02 AM and the other at 1:08:33 AM from the number 888-888-8888. The ringer on my phone was off….thank goodness…it was my cell phone. What is this?!?!?!?!
This is to “I Hate Telemarketers”. I work for JAK Productions and all we are doing is trying to raise money for Different organizations. All we are doing is trying to make a living and its people like you that telemarketers hate. How would you like to get air horns blown in your ear. I know someone who lost their hearing because of ignorant assholes like yourself. yea I admit the calls do get annoying but the least you can do is hang up or block the number. you don’t have to be such a fucking asshole about it.
I have gotten 8 calls in the last 2 days from an 888-888-8888 number and a restricted number, I wouldnt be surprised if they were the same caller. They called twice at 5:18 a.m. and I picked up on the second ring and said “hello” and just silence. Needless to say I was pissed off. But there’s my hate story.
It does not matter if they are charitable or not, If I want these people to call me I would say so. I make charitable donations to organizations that I want to (directly)and I am not donating to any organizations that uses a middle man that will take up to 75% of the proceeds for themselves.
ok here is the deal. I work for JAK productions, and i do call the same people over and over(and over and over).believe me i know it’s a pain, has been for years and years. let me just say this, DO NOT CALL list does not include charity fund raising how ever by law if when called you can request not to be called again and you will be put on the do not call list. however for some unknown reasson this does not always work you may still get called so, you just stop answering the calls, guess what,they still call. My oppinion is this, make a pledge. Why, two reassons, one because it realy dose go to the families, ok not all of it i know but, do you give to any other charitys,I found out that most of the people that complain about fund raising calls dont give to any fund raisers at all. understand that we are paid for what we do and not that greatly niether, we do it for the cause. So not all the money goes but they are gerantied $300.000 min. where does that come from (YOU). Second reasson is simple Gold 45 Silver 35 and Bronze 25. so for a pledge of just $25 you can be free for a year of the calls. To me even $45 is worth the peace. and I have helped the children of this country even in a small way we all can help. EVER DOLLAR COUNTS. be calling you soon Gerald
Gerald, thank you for your comment. It’s good to have a perspective from your end of the phone.
As far as what charities I give to, a good portion of my income goes to charities. I pick them out and I give my money and time to them. I do not respond to telephone solicitations for anything. If you want me to consider your charity send me a letter.
What bothers me, though, is that when you call my number you don’t say anything and when I call your number back from my caller ID I get a voicemail that is full. Under these circumstances it is difficult for me to:
This bit of annoyance has caused me to move to VOIP which allows me to set some pretty powerful call blocking rules to keep you from annoying me.
It is as simple as this… I have been a fundraiser for the last 5 years.
First off, anyone claiming that they are getting called before 8 in the morning, or after 9 at night from JAK are simply lying. JAK is only open from 8 am to 9 pm. Also, they don’t open until 12 noon on Sundays. Their call parameters won’t allow people in different time zones to be called until the legal hours as well.
Second, nobody is hanging up on you. The numbers are dialed by an automatic call processing system. It dials multiple numbers at a time. When a line is picked up, it sends the call out to a TSR who is waiting on the call. Now, if there aren’t any TSR’s available within a certain amount of time, the call processer drops the call. Trust me, there would be no point for a fundraiser to hang up on you, because they can’t exactly get a donation, if they are hanging up can they? Also, I have peronally seen many employees fired immediately for being rude, in any way, to the contacts.
Third, all that we are doing is raising money on behalf of the organizations that HIRE US to do their fundraising for them. I think that your anger is misplaced. Also, you don’t seem to understand that MANY of the people that I call are delighted to receive the calls, and are more than happy to give. These programs that you donate to, actually do great things. The next time that they call you, get the website off of the fundraiser, and look at all of the great things that the donations help provide for. Of course, a big chunk is going to pay the cost of the fund drive… why would that bother you? Do you know how much money it costs to run call centers, pay rent on them, pay hundreds of employees, make long distance phone calls non-stop, ect…? Of course that costs a lot of money, but guess what? The organization STILL ends up with WAY more money that they would raising funds any other way, which is obviously why they HIRE US to do it for them.
I have been one of the top fundraisers for two different fundraising companys for the last 5 years. I am always polite on the phone, and the people who get angry are few and far between. It is really simple guys… if you don’t want called then tell that person to take you off of the calling list. If that doesn’t work, and you are POSTIIVE That it is the same company calling you back. Ask for the toll free information number, call it, and tell them to take you off of the list. It will work. Believe me, we don’t want to waste our time calling people who don’t want to be called. What does that do for us, or the organzation? It wastes our own money contacting the same people who simply don’t want to be contacted.
Another thing… calling the call centers is going to do absolutely nothing for you, besides waste your own time. As I stated before, the calls are done on an automated call processing system, so calling and harrassing the admins, or managers isn’t going to do you any good. You need to either call the information line, or speak with the person who is calling you.
Hope that I could help some of you out. I would hope that you realize that being called, and asked for support of some great charities isn’t the most blood thirsty thing that could happen to you. Don’t take it so hard, and just take the right steps to remove yourself from the system if you don’t want to be called. I have found, that if I politely explain to people that call my house, that I am not interested, it usually works. If you avoid the calls, or hang up without speaking back… then you are going to be placed back on the rescheduled callback list, because how is a machine, or a person who you don’t respond to going to know that you aren’t someone who just isn’t home, but is interested in donating?
Chris, thank you for replying here. As I mentioned in my reply to Gerald’s message, it’s good to have your perspective presented here.
As far as the hang up calls go, I can assure you that every number I listed in my original article gave me dead air at one time or another. To me a hangup is a hangup regardless of whether it is a machine doing the hanging up or a person.
These irritating people keep calling me first thing in the morning. I got a call at 8:00 this morning (Saturday!). So much for sleeping in. If it’s not important enough to leave a message, it’s certainly not important enough to interrupt my sleep!
I was being pinged by one of the Charitable fundraisering numbers and asked to be removed from their list, not 10 minutes later the same pattern started from an entirely new number. I shouldn’t have to pay to prevent this but maybe when the phone companies start losing their landline customer base altogether they will reconsider giving a few FREE blocks to deter this harrassment. They aren’t soliciting any charitable donations and I think its a front. I have noticed this trend growing over the last couple of years and am seriously considering dropping my landline.
Report unwanted and scam calls at http://800notes.com/.
Report unwanted and scam calls at http://800notes.com/ and find out who is calling you. Let’s fight back!
My wife was solicited for donations to the Colorado Police Protective Assn. As is the practice in our family, she requested a financial statement before committing to as donation. Although hesitant to do so (most solicitors won’t), the caller agreed to send “information” in the mail. We received it today. Althought the letter did not contain any financial numbers. I found on the back side in light gray lettering that JAK Productions was hired as a paid solicitor. Being the curious person I am, I researched JAK Productions on the Colorado Secretary of State website. Here is what I found:
Year ending 11/30/2006, JAK Productions’ solicitations grossed $545,451.79.
The net to the charities: $79,011.03 or a mere 14.49%.
Year ending 11/30/2005, JAK Productions’ solicitations grossed $1,047,636.89.
The net to the charities: $154,095.93 or a mere 14.71%.
Year ending 11/30/2004, JAK Productions’ solicitations grossed $977,018.21.
The net to the charities: $145,083.39 or a mere 14.85%.
Year ending 11/30/2004, JAK Productions’ solicitations grossed $906,950.79.
The net to the charities: $133,472.47 or a mere 14.72%.
Here are the links:
http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/bingo_raffles/CCSAAnnualReport2003.pdf
http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/bingo_raffles/CCSAAnnualReport2004.pdf
http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/bingo_raffles/CCSAA_report_2004-2005.pdf
http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/bingo_raffles/2006_annual_report.pdf
(Don’t ask me why it’s under “bingo raffles.” It did take some digging to find them.)
So let me see, less than 15 cents of every dollar got to the charity? If you work for this company and still have a conscience…. maybe the wool is being pulled over your eyes as well.
Amazing what our state lets these scam-artists get away with by exploiting the no-call list loophole. I don’t even want non profits to call me.
About a week ago I started getting several phone calls on my cell phone a day from a four digit number. Just 888-8, I have never seen anything like that before but when I asnwer the person just hangs up. At first I didn’t care I would just ignore the call but now they are calling more frequently and it is getting annoying. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Just reviewed the postings (kudos, by the way) and came upon “gerald”…(scroll up to 29 Jan 2007). He claims to work for ‘JAK productions’ (I think the ‘p’ should have been upper case) and even admits to calling the “same people over and over(and over and over).” (sic).
This genius, who admits to making repeated calls to people who are NOT interested in what he’s selling, can’t seem to spell - or even know when to hit the key to make a capital letter…nor how to type.
Example for “gerald”: opinion is spelled with one ‘p’. Just as reason only has one ’s’.
There is a word that has ’ss’ in the middle…starts with a, ends with an e…
After a non-scientific survey of the various numbers related to this bogus charity, I offer an idea to the community at large. I offer a nod, and a huge THANK YOU to Mr. Schnedecker (20 Mar 2007) for such excellent work.
My idea: I found a loophole in THEIR system. Call the toll-free number, and hit the pound sign (#) repeatedly. It costs you nothing, but every minute you can keep their line open it will cost them.
Maybe someone can write a computer program to fight back at them?
Comments?
Oh, and Chris (3 Feb 2007 at 3:05 AM)
You’ve been a fundraiser for five (5) years. And you say that no one will be called before “8 in the morning” or “after 9 at night…” You gotta be kidding us! Those are the SAME rules that apply to bill collectors. (insert exclamation points here).
Telemarketing and bill collection calls seem to fall under the same FCC rules — how quaint.
Dear ‘Chris’, and every other ‘fundraiser’ out there…I know your intent may be honest - who am I to say otherwise? But, just let the people, the American people, figure it out for themselves. We’re pretty smart, and we know what we want. We will give, when and where we want to. That’s it…
These calls are extremely annoying. I’ve been getting at least two a day for the last 4 months since we moved into our new condo in Arlington, VA. We are now getting a lot of dead-air calls from the numbers 877-296-0148, 888-815-0011, 866-910-0042, 866-390-6364, and more. They are all from the Charitable and Non-Profit Organization’s Fundraising Office (JAK) representing the Virginia Fraternal Order of the Police. I’ve been asked to be removed on 4 different occasions and still no result, so please CHRIS, give me a break, are you really buying into your companies brainwashing? Or wait… how much stock do you have in JAK Productions Inc? I’ve made a complaint with the Virginia Consumer Affairs Office to no avail, and I’ve tried to complain directly to the Virginia Fraternal Order of Police and they basically say it’s not their problem. The next time I’m home and get a live person on the phone, I’m going to first talk very very quiet so that the telemarketer has to turn up his headset and then I’m going to unleash my bullhorn into his ear.
My husband has a theory that the annoying “dead air” phone calls we receive all the time are computerized “feeler” phone calls. Lets say the computer calls a zillion numbers and I’m the one lucky homeowner that picks up the phone. Of course there’s nothing but dead air on the other end, and after saying “Hello?” twice I get mad and hang up. But all the computer wanted was for someone to pick up so that it could identify a phone number with someone home to answer it. The computer probably promptly routes my number to the “We’ve Got a Life One!” List - I can picture the call center room with alarms going and lights flashing with my phone number displayed on a huge scrolling/flashing wall marquee. Without fail, within a 20 minutes we get a phone call from a live person representing a charity - usually the Virgina Assoc. of State Troopers. I always tell them to take me off their list but the calls keep coming.
I know that technically a non-profit organization is exempt from the no-call list. But technically the non-profit organization is not calling us - a for-profit corporation is. I’m know I sound naive, but perhaps if enough fed-up citizens bombard the FCC and our senators and representatives with enough phone calls and emails, they’ll look into plugging this loophole.
I recommend filing a complaint with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (804 371-9733) against the Virginia Fraternal Order of Police. The Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) is responsible for the administration of the Virginia Solicitation of Contributions Law. The law requires any organization soliciting in Virginia to file with OCA. Did JAK fundraiser or Virginia FOP do this?
Examples of VA State Law:
§ 57-55.2. Charitable solicitation disclosure.
Every professional solicitor who solicits contributions from a prospective contributor in this Commonwealth: (i) shall identify himself and his employer; (ii) shall disclose that he is a paid solicitor; and (iii) shall further disclose, in writing, the fact that a financial statement for the last fiscal year is available from the State Office of Consumer Affairs.
§ 57-57. Prohibited acts.
E. No person shall make any representation that he is soliciting contributions for or on behalf of a charitable or civic organization or shall use or display any emblem, device or printed matter belonging to or associated with a charitable or civic organization for the purpose of soliciting or inducing contributions from the public without first being authorized to do so by the charitable or civic organization.
G. No charitable or civic organization shall accept any contribution exceeding $5 in cash or tangible property without providing, on request of the donor, a written receipt acknowledging such contribution on behalf of the organization.
The VA FOP have some type of business relationship with this telemarketer and have the nerve to tell you “it’s not their problem”?
Make it their problem and have their fund raiser stop harassing hardworking taxpayers. Let them know that if they fail to rein in their fundraiser they risk losing their tax-exempt status and are exposed to state fines.
Link to VSCC data on Virginia FOP
http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/consumers/cgi-bin/char_search.cgi?act=2&sysorgno=8678&orgname=Association%20of%20the%20VA%20Fraternal%20Order%20of%20Police
Virginia State Law on Fundraising
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+TOC57000000005000000000000
Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA)
http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/consumers/index.shtml
Checking back after a few months to see what other people are saying. I see someone even replied to me!
“Unknown” on January 23, I understand you’re trying to raise money, and that’s what I wish to avoid. You will never get anything except vitriol and abuse from me. If I am feeling good that day I will do no worse than hang up. I wouldn’t give a dime to any of your fucking organizations if it meant the electric chair! If I am the kind of person telemarketers hate, don’t call me. I support the imprisonment (with Bubba) or execution of all telemarketers, hungry families be damned. If you know other telemarketers who have gone deaf because of intelligent (not ignorant) assholes like myself, I guess we assholes must be doing something right. Your friends will never harass us again, haha! I’d love to be able to block your numbers, but the telephone company would charge me to do so. So, I guess if this makes me a fucking asshole, then a fucking asshole I shall be.
May I suggest that you voluntarily abide by the DNC list, even though you are (wrongly) exempted from it. I suspect that most people who do not want to receive commercial solicitations also do not want to receive non-commercial solicitations. I know I don’t.
Gerald on January 29, the very last thing I am going to do is pledge. That would reward the telemarketing! Although air horns and verbal abuse feel good, I realize that the surest way to end telemarketing is to make it unprofitable.
Frustrated on February 10, a few free blocks are a great idea! I know a few numbers I would block.
Long live the fight against this scourge known as telemarketing!
I would like to know how to deal with the problem in Missouri of when only part of the phone number shows up on caller I.D., or only “out of area” displays with no number. I am recieving calls on a continual basis. If I do answer the calls, it is usually for a donation to a large variety of police charity funds. Many of which are listed on this site.
In the last 36 hours my caller I.D. shows I have had 18, yes that is eighteen, calls from “out of area” with no number listed. (This is stalking in my opinion). There was one addition from “R” at 1-785-_ _ _ _ -0620. The middle numbers are just blank. There were three calls were from “Private Caller” with no number listed. We usually do not answer the calls, however, you can imagine how disrupting this is to our lives.
The big questions is, how can I track where these phone calls are coming from? HOW CAN I FIGHT THIS?? Answering does no good, saying no does not work, asking to be taken off the list is impossible because there are so many different agency names. ANY IDEAS??
News > Missouri State News > Story
Nixon sues California police charity
By Bill Smith
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
07/25/2007
A California police charity that says it helps the families of police officers killed in the line of duty has repeatedly used “harassing and intimidating tactics” to defraud Missouri donors, Attorney General Jay Nixon said Tuesday.
In a lawsuit filed in St. Louis Circuit Court, Nixon accuses telemarketers of Police Protective Fund of bullying Missourians, especially the elderly, into giving to the charity.
The suit says the charity took in more than $5.9 million nationally in donations last year, with just a total of $37,000 going to the families of deceased officers. Of the $5.9 million, $3.7 million went to pay the expenses of professional fundraisers. Much of the rest of the charity’s income went to pay salaries, payroll taxes, rent and a variety of other expenses.
Police Protective Fund, based in Hollywood, was founded by Phil LeConte and David Dierks, who met while both were students at the University of Illinois.
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Also named in the suit is the American Association of Police Officers, which Nixon says is the administrative charity for Police Protective Fund and receives management fees from charitable donations raised by Police Protective Fund.
The suit accuses Police Protective Fund of violating Missouri consumer protection laws. It says that potential donors solicited by phone are not told that benefits to officers’ families are capped at a total of $40,000 a year.
The suit says that the attorney general’s office has received complaints from the public, alleging that telemarketers for the charity have been belligerent and rude and “would not take ‘no’ for an answer, even when consumers said they were on a fixed income and could not afford to donate.”
Some said the callers told them that unless they contributed, “you may call the police one day and they won’t respond.”
The suit asks that the court stop the charity from making fraudulent solicitations, that the charity be forced to make full restitution to all consumers who have been defrauded and that the charity pay several other fines and penalties.
“Abusive telemarketing calls will not be tolerated in Missouri,” Nixon said.
Records from 2005 list LeConte as a director and executive officer of Police Protective Fund with a salary of $112,652.
Police Protective Fund and related groups such as the American Association of Police Officers and the Junior Police Academy have been the focus of legal action in several states.
A call to the offices of the three organizations was not returned Tuesday.
These assclowns have been calling me everyday for the last month.
What i cant believe is the FOP of va. actually endorses these criminals.
Like someone else here said, the very best thing you can do is issue a complaint against the FOP of va.
google youtube : fun with telemarketers.
this youtube is great! listen to this guy tear into them.
” this is one of the lodges ”
” yes, the virginia troopers log”
a bold faced lie.
check this out.
You people from the calling industry are a bunch of hypocrites. If you were honest about this business, why did you lobby Congress to give you an exemption from the Do Not Call list? Yes, it most assuredly wastes your time and the time of people whom you call who don’t want to hear from you. Your organizations are better organized than people like ourselves and they intimidate our local representatives who otherwise would take our case. What is so difficult to understand about people’s right to privacy? You feel your right to interpose yourselves and the people you represent supercedes my right to privacy. That’s a big dose of hubris. I have gotten so many calls from the Florida State Troopers, Firemen, breast cancer victims, and the like and each time I tell them to stop calling me but the harassment continues.
And why do these people start off with “this is a public service announcement”? What bold faced liars. I ask if this is a solicitation, and most of these people are so illiterate that they don’t know what the word means. One of these people kept calling me “Mrs. Hacker” out of unbelievable ignorance or was it simply contempt?
i think larry should take the email addresses of the telemarketers that commented on here and plaster them all over the net
along with their IP addresses
That’s one thing I won’t do. I appreciate dissenting opinions and if I start doing things like that there will be no comments made her but by those who agree with me.
You all are totally correct. All of the tele-marketers / tele-solicitors should quit trying to earn a living. (Note: Telemarkeing/soliciting companies like to locate their operations in fairly depressed low income areas i.e. WV, KY coal mining communiteies with small colleges located nearby.) These people all sould quit and draw any govenment monies they can, increase the tax burden and cause those of us fortunate enough not to live in these areas to foot the bill.
You are the same people who complain about wellfare recipints. Decide, do you want higher tax burden or a few anoying phone calls.
Oh and you geniuses who make no typos or spelling mistakes feel free to tear this apart
866-390-6364 is a call from DirectLine Technologies in Modesto California….check out their website if you REALLY want to feel sick to your stomach. They are a mass call fundraising site and telling them you want to be on the DNC list doesn’t help (they continue to call me despite having made that request several times; I just don’t answer now). The problem is that they wake up my 2 year old with their calls during nap time. Anyway, check out the website and send them an email (use the ‘contacts’ link) and tell them how MUCH you DON’T appreciate their calls.
I have been getting calls from 866-390-6364. A google search led me to your godsend of website. After ingnoring a dozen or more calls from this number I lloked up their website based on Rick’s posting above (Thanks!). The site has lots of wonderful (NOT!) info abou this business, including bio sketches of the founders, Gary and Martha Connor of Turlock, CA. The site said they would respect do not call requests, so a called the number back and got an automated message instruction how to be put on their corporate DNC list. I tried it. They said it takes effect within 30 days and lasts 5 years, so we’ll see. From their website:
“DNC Compliance:
Do-Not-Call compliance requires a partnership effort between any teleservices vendor and their client. The list owner (you) are required to determine whether or not you are required to use the Federal Trade Commission’s Do-Not-Call registry to “scrub” names from your list. Paragraph 310.6 of the Telemarketing Sales Rule defines organizations who are exempt from registering with and using the federal Do-Not-Call list. In addition, there may be separate and different Do-Not-Call requirements in your state.
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) of 1991 requires each company that makes telephone solicitations to maintain a list of those people who do not wish to be contacted by phone and to develop a written policy implementing this Do-Not-Call list-keeping requirement. The term “telephone solicitation” does not include calls or messages placed with the receiver’s prior expressed permission, by or on behalf of a tax-exempt non-profit organization, or from a person or organization with whom the receiver has an established business relationship.
Although DirectLine Technologies, Inc does not own or maintain telemarketing lists, we have implemented strong internal policies and procedures, implemented within our technology, to insure compliance with Do-Not-Call regulations. DirectLine maintains a corporate Do-Not-Call database. Any individual who makes a request to be placed on a Do-Not-Call list is maintained on our corporate Do-Not-Call List for a period of five (5) years from the date of the request. Numbers on our corporate Do-Not-Call list are not called within the five year period, regardless of the client project being dialed.
Each and every Do-Not-Call request is captured on-line during the telephone conversation in which the request is made. The Do-Not-Call refusal flag is appended to the record, the record will be blocked from additional calling, and no additional calls will be made to the phone number that was requested to be placed on the Do-Not-Call list. Individuals who dial the caller-id number shown with calls originating from DirectLine Technologies can use our automated touch-tone system to place their called number (identified by their caller-id) on our Do Not Call list.
The Do-Not-Call requests will be reported electronically to the list owner (you) at the end of the solicitation project. The complete project data, including Do-Not-Call notations, will be forwarded to the list owner in the format they request, as well as archived on storage CD.”
Keep up the good work!
I work for JAK Productions. I just want to apologize to EVERYONE. I know the phone calls are irritating beyond belief. I take people off the list if they even sound like they will never be interested. I have gotten irritated with people I call as well. I am very sorry to all who are bothered. I dislike my job, but it pays well and I can work a schedule at my convenience. I am able to take care of my kids AND spend time with them. I do this (as anyone would) for the welfare of my children. Sorry again, and please pray that I can find a different job that pays decent. Thank you, and sorry again.
Ironically, I am a telemarketer for JAK Productions, sorry for not leaving my actual name, but I do need to make money for the last 2 months that I will be with the company, so pardon that. However, I will be gracious enough to drop information for all.
A) Do Not Call lists DO NOT include not-for-profit organizations, they can still call. Yes, even if it is from a 3rd party, blame the government for that one.
B) “JAK Productions” is based in Atlanta, GA, the owners name is John Keller, sounds great, right? WRONG! John Keller just got off the boat. According to a rumor heard round the watering hole, he moved to this country about 10 years ago and changed his name when he started the company. Granted this is a rumor which I heard, however, even the managers at the call center where I work make fun of his thick arab accent, and his inability to fpeak the english language, even though he’s been here for 10 years, which I doubt to be honest.
C) While working my way through college I’ve worked at about 3 differant telemarketing organizations. They’re basically all the same, call after call, only one 7 minute break per 4 hour shift, but they do pay well. However, you’re forced to sell your soul to ignorance and *greedy -exploitively deleted*!
D) When you donate to the “organization” you’re actually donating to John Keller, (In regards to JAK Productions). Quite literally he writes a check for whichever amount is agreed upon by the two parties (the organization and JAK) but in reality - the organization gets AT MOST 15% usually less.
E) On any given 4-8 hour shift you can guarentee atleast 3 employees will be terminated, either from actual reasons (harrssing phone calls - yes, people do get fired for that) or because simply, an employee overheard management discussing something he shouldn’t and is now a liability.
F) All call centers for telemarketing are located in small areas, without a lot of employment, or high fiscal abilities.
G) 90% of sales persons you speak with have a criminal record, mostly felonies, but these are the only places that will hire them. And for sake of authenticity, I did have a juvenile criminal record, but since have moved on to college and two degrees.
I have much more I can spill, but I’ll leave it at this last one
H) You hate telemarketers, you’re rude, ignorant and sometimes quite cruel. But to be honest, telemarketers don’t care what you think, or who you are. They don’t wish to speak to you anymore than you to them. It’s a paycheck, that’s all. I’m speaking so frankly because I’ve had it with the job, which is why I’m leaving that chapter of employment behind to use a degree, unfortunetly not all people who work telemarketing have the ability - or to be honest, intelligence - to go to school. So if I have learned one thing from telemarketing, as I’ve been on both sides, EVERYONE is capable of being an asshole, you get called 3 times a day, telemarketers make an average of 50 calls an hour, that’s 200 people in a standard 4 hour shift. Want to bet that 80% of those people are assholes? Oh and a bit of advice, children (mine included) love to act adult when there’s someone on the phone that they don’t know. Do what I did, record ALL phone calls without your kids knowing, you may find out that you’re getting calls at 9 a.m. because junior decided to tell a telemarketer who is trying to feed his\her kids to go fornicate themselves with the phone - You think it’s funny to read it, but think how you’d be if you heard it 180 times a day with no vent.
I work for JAK Productions and have to say it is the shadiest place I have ever been employed. As a single mother with 3 kids I work there to earn a living just like every other parent. I hate even being a part of it most days knowing it is all going in John’s pocket. When you need a job, it is an easy paycheck. Not to mention, all the fellow employees want to do is sit around and run their mouth because they are 40 years old plus and so miserable that they have to make everyone else’s life miserable. As if that isnt bad enough, they like to get management involved who is even worse from time to time. Do not work for them no matter how desperate you are!!!!!
Has anyone ever reported this to a local TV investigation team? I’d like to see that. Even if it is legal for a 3rd party for-profit to call for a charity does that make sense? Media publicity will help put these jerks outta business. Let everyone know that charities who hire scumbags to call you will receive no donations whatsoever.
Thanks so much for this blog, the information-packed comments and for the links to 800 notes and other resources. I will continue to register complaints on the Do Not Call list for “Product Dev” and the other numbers that call and hang up on me daily. I really appreciate all your research to find out who these annoying people are who are wasting my time and energy, and waking up and taking me away from my kid! We’re typically interrupted 2-3 times each day with repeated rings. I wish I didn’t need the landline, but now I’ve been getting spam texts on the cell, so I was feeling screwed every which way. But thanks to all of you other fed-up consumers, I finally feel like there are a few things I can do, so thank you so much for fighting the fight!
HERE IS THE WEST VIRGINIA OFFICE NUMBER FOR JAK CALL THEM AS MANY TIME AS THEY CALL YOU 304-242-3434..i WORKED THERE FOR A LIL WHILE BUT THEY ARENT ABOUT HELPING THE F.O.P. OR AMVETS..OR FIREFIGHTERS FOR THAT MATTER ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY TO THEM….CALL THEM AS MANY TIMES AS THEY CALL YOU B/C BELIEVE ME THEY WILL KEEP CALLING U THERE IS NO SUCH THING as Do not call back to them! They only give 10% to charities and they keep the rest! They are seriously cold harted people..John keller is the owner of this business so feel free to ask for him!!! Or Matt..Or Ernest parker! Thank you- Ex- employee for JAK
I would just like to state that if theese callers were doing no good at all in raising money for theese charities then they would pull out of there contracts.
For DirectLine Technologies (university and college fundraising)
Here’s the president’s email for your complaints, or to put on your favorite spam lists: martha_connor@directline-tech.com
Or for a more intimate chat, here’s her phone and extension: 800-448-1200, press 9, then press 627842. Best of all, she pays for the call!