Don't taxes pay for this?

March 8, 2007 4:18 PM

How do I get the State Troopers to stop calling and begging for money?

I think my mother once gave them a donation years ago and now they call the house at least once a week, begging for money for bullet proof vests, dash cameras, anything they can think of. I'm on the National Do-Not-Call registry but I guess because it's some charity organization they're exempt from it. I have no problem with telling them not to call back, but I'm not the only one who answers the phone around here. I think some of the other phone-answers are intimidated by State Troopers calling. If I tell them not to call back, does that even matter, or is this phone number forever doomed to harrasment by law enforcement "charity" organizations?

If it matters you can discern the state I'm in from my profile.

posted by BeerFilter to law & government (22 comments total)

Even exempt organizations must have their own "do not call" list. Tell them the next time they call to put you on their do not call list.
posted by dcjd at 4:22 PM on March 8, 2007

The Sacramento Sherriff, Police and Fire departments call me once a week. I have asked all three to put me on their do-not-calls and have been told I would be, but it never takes; the next week, the calls keep coming. Good luck, and if you learn how to stay off their lists for good, let me know!
posted by luriete at 4:24 PM on March 8, 2007

You are correct that the DNC registry doesn't apply to charities (or telephone surveyers, political organizations, or any business you've purchased something from in the past year and a half, for that matter), but as dcjd said above, they must have a personal Do Not Call list. However, as long as you refuse them, hang up on them, whatever, they will not put you on it. Most organizations have the policy of only putting you on their list if you say the actual words, "Please put me on your do not call list." If they continue to call you even after agreeing to do so, they can be sued for harassment.
posted by srrh at 4:36 PM on March 8, 2007

My first thought is to say "please remove this number from your calling list now and don't call here again". If possible, get the person's name and write down the date and time of your request.

If that doesn't work, find the State Troopers' main (non-emergency) number and call to register a polite complaint. Tell them when you requested that they stop calling with the details. I think when people work in call centers, they probably won't stop what they're doing to remove your name and number from their list; it stops being their problem once you hang up. If you call them, you might get someone on the phone who isn't in the middle of making all those calls and might be more willing to take action and fix it.
posted by juliplease at 4:39 PM on March 8, 2007

I used www.privatecitizen.com a few years back. I don't have a land line but it helped with the amount of junk mail I received. These calls are often contracted out to telemarketing firms and Private Citizen sends your opt out information to 1,500 local and national junk call firms for a reasonable price.
posted by hokie409 at 4:39 PM on March 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

As far as Texas goes, I see those "100 Club" stickers on the back of cars all over the place. The general understanding amongst the populace is that if you have one of those stickers, the cop that pulls you over for speeding might just write you a warning instead of a ticket. So it's like reverse extortion.

You might try to see if you can get them to admit that something similar is happening with their "donations."
posted by cebailey at 4:42 PM on March 8, 2007

I have a standard response to telephone solicitations for charities: " Thank you for calling but I never ever , under any circumstance, contribute to any telephone solicitation. Please send a written request and a copy of your most recent independent audit. Thank You". I immediate;ly hang up if they continue talking. I have never received a follow up call nor have I ever
received a request and an independent audit. My Best fca
posted by rmhsinc at 4:45 PM on March 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

There was a segment on local Boston news recently about police fund-raising. As it turns out, often the people calling are hired telemarketers. In the WCVB-TV story folks complained about high pressure tactics employed by the callers.

BTW -- the police force profiled only receives 40% of the donations with the telemarketing firm pocketing 60%.

Your situation may indeed involve a third-party telemarketing firm.
posted by ericb at 5:09 PM on March 8, 2007

I have worked for call centres and yes, a few people above nailed it: you have to actually say the words "put me on your do not call list." That is the only way they'll stop calling you. I remember being instructed to queue a number for call-back after the person screamed obscenities at me and told me to never call again, the rationale for calling back being that "someone else might answer next time."
posted by arcticwoman at 5:12 PM on March 8, 2007

On the off chance that they are using autodialers, a Telezapper might help.
posted by IndigoRain at 5:30 PM on March 8, 2007

Not to be contrary, but have you considered donating? The State Patrol does lots of underappreciated work to keep you & your fellow long-distance travellers safe.

Plus you get a cool sticker that *may* help if you accidentally find yourself over on the wrong side of the law someday.
posted by Aquaman at 6:10 PM on March 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

The general understanding amongst the populace is that if you have one of those stickers, the cop that pulls you over for speeding might just write you a warning instead of a ticket. So it's like reverse extortion.

The general understanding is wrong. Every cop I've ever known has seen right through those stickers. Real cops judge you on your offense, along with your behavior and demeanor when dealing with them. They appreciate your money, but could care less about the stickers.
posted by chrisamiller at 6:14 PM on March 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

I once got a fund-raiser call from Sergeant Somebody of my local police. The very weird part was, he asked for the previous owner of the house by name. Our phone number was different (and unlisted). Did they use their police powers to get the number associated with the house from the phone company? Don't know, but I did not like it. When I told the Sgt. that he had the wrong guy, he just pitched me his spiel anyway.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:22 PM on March 8, 2007

To build on what ericb said, sometimes they're not even hired. They'll just say they're collecting for such and such an agency. The complaints will start pretty quickly, of course, but they'll still make money. The operations are easy to set up so there's nothing stopping them from simply changing the agency name and starting up again. It happened here in the 90's a couple of times.
posted by tommasz at 6:34 PM on March 8, 2007

Tell them, that the person they're calling, your brother/sister was accidentally killed by state troopers a few months ago, in another state. Say that you're still trying to get over the trauma of their death and you're destryed by having to go through their possessions, and as you say this, let your voice get to the point of breaking from the emotional stress. State that the deceased was a parent, and you're now caring for their three distraught children, and that every penny you have goes towards their therapist bills. Then gently ask that you not be contacted again, that you will hopefully get over your hatred of police one day, but probably not.

Worked for me more than once.
posted by dbiedny at 6:41 PM on March 8, 2007 [2 favorites]

Here in Vermont, I got similar calls (scores of them!) for a firefighter's memorial for "our fallen heroes". At the time, I was unemployed, so I investigated a little.

Turned out that the calls originated in West Virginia from a telemarketing firm, and when I looked into their operation, I discovered that they got 85 cents of every dollar raised.

They fleeced little old Vermont ladies and kind, uninformed folks with a legitimate sounding story.

I think it goes without saying, if the police need a goddamned camera, they should petition their funding sources and get one, not beg on the phone. It is patent bullshit.

Start asking some hard questions of these idiots and take notes. Report your findings via letters to the editor of your local and state papers. Publicize it.

It may never stop, but our collective complacency is what assures that.
posted by FauxScot at 7:04 PM on March 8, 2007

I'm in Dane County, WI (Madison) and the local paper just did a story on our Sherriffs' association fundraisers. A telemarketing firm makes a huge cut of what gets donated, as the earlier posters have stated.

Interestingly, shortly after that article came out, we got a pledge letter in the mail as if we had agreed to donate. I'm not saying that this was anything more than a mistake, but the fact that it would net the telemarketing firm $25 or so if I paid it makes me suspicious.

I wrote back and said they must've made a mistake, I didn't donate, but got another request in the mail.

I guess it's time to see what state agency I need to report this to.
posted by altcountryman at 7:24 PM on March 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

These groups are associations and not the actual law enforcement agencies themselves. Sometimes they get law enforcement volunteers to make the calls, sometimes they hire people or call centers.
posted by JJ86 at 8:47 PM on March 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

"I'm sorry, I just donated to organized crime. They called this morning. I just don't have any cash for the law."
posted by klangklangston at 10:06 PM on March 8, 2007 [1 favorite]

I find being firm yet polite will get it done in most cases. However Bank Of America won't stop calling me about life insurance and I'm closing my account based on that - yeah, I'm extreme.

They are right though - charitable organizations, market research - all of those are exempt from the Do Not Call registry. But if you continue to call - tell them that this is phone harassment - that should make it stop.
posted by heartquake at 6:29 AM on March 9, 2007

You should realize that it's not your state's troopers calling you. It's a club that has some official-sounding name. It's not the government calling you. It's some private schmucks who want to use the name of their day-job to get money out of you.

When they call, hopefully you have a pen handy:
- Ask for the caller's full name.
- Ask for their telephone number.
- Ask if they keep a list of numbers they've been asked not to call. If yes, ask to be put on that list.
- Ask if they also make telemarketing calls for other organizations. If yes, ask to be put on those no-call lists also.
- Ask if they'll keep your number on that list for at least 10 years.
- Ask if they have a written policy that says so.
- Ask for a copy of it.
- Ask for their employer's business name, address, and main telephone number.
- Then hang up.

If the caller doesn't give you what you ask for, it's possible that you can sue for $500 or more. http://www.junkbusters.com/fcc.html
You'll have to go to your county courthouse and spend ~$15 and go to court a while later with a print-out of the law. But, it's a good way to teach them a lesson and the $485 makes up for the few hours it takes you.
posted by cmiller at 8:50 AM on March 9, 2007 [5 favorites]

The magic words are "Put me on your Do Not Call List." If you say "Take me off your list," fund raisers interpret it as "Take me off your Do Not Call List," which is exactly the opposite of what you want.

Many if not most calls purporting to be from public officials are from scammers. Call the organization to ask whether it's really them.
posted by KRS at 12:28 PM on March 9, 2007