Think ALL Your Dollars Are Going To Charities When They Call? Think Again

While we are focused on reducing political phone calls of all types, charities and market research firms are also exempt from the federal DNC regulations.

One area telemarketing firms have moved into big time since the DNC regulations were introduced in 2003 is charitable and political telemarketing.

This recent press release from the CT Attorney General's office breaks out the numbers in stark reality.

Only 32% of each dollar raised over the phone actually goes back to the charity.  The rest is kept by the telemarketing firm.

What to do?

Great suggestions from the CT AG:

    * Make sure you are clear which organization is asking for money. Many charities have similar names.

    * Ask how and where the donation will be used. Don't accept vague answers.

    * Ask whether the person calling is being paid and what percentage of the donation goes to the organization.

    * Never agree to give over the telephone; ask the solicitor to mail you information.

    * Never give cash or agree to have someone pick up a contribution.

clipped from www.ct.gov Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Jr. today announced that paid charitable phone solicitors in 2006 passed on to groups that hired them an average of 32.79 percent of funds raised, one of the lowest levels in a decade. The report found that paid phone solicitors raised $10.8 million for nonprofit, charitable and public safety organizations in 2006, slightly more than the previous year. Of that, $3.54 million or 32.79 percent went to charities and nonprofits, with telemarketers pocketing the remaining 67.21 percent.