One New Year's Resolution You Can Keep - Before You Give To A Charity On The Phone, Don't

Washington, DC - Shaun Dakin, CEO The National Political Do Not Contact Registry - Sign up for free and join the over 85,000 voters that are fed up with Robocall Spam.  Sign up at StopPoliticalCalls.org

Do you feel obliged to give to a charity when they call you on the phone?  Do you feel a sense of guilt if you decide to say "no thanks, not today"?   What if it is someone from the local "police association" that calls?  How about that for a sense of guilt followed by a feeling of blackmail.

Don't, particularly if the Attorney General of New York has his New Year's wish.  He is promoting a study that reveals that on average, just 39 cents of every charitable dollar raised by professional telemarketing companies actually goes to charity. The rest is paid in fees costs to the companies.  I also posted about this in 2007 where the AG in Connecticut reported the figure at $.32 cents.

That means that for every dollar you give over the phone $.61 cents is going to a FOR PROFIT TELEMARKETING company that is 'dialing for dollars', their dollars.  

Instead, if you want to give, simply go to the charity's website and pull out your credit card.   That way you'll be guaranteed 100% of each dollar you give goes to the charity that you support.

There is one phrase that you should practice and practice if you get a telemarketing call from a charity this year.

"No Thanks.  I don't give over the phone.   Please put me on your "do not call" list or I will never give to your organization again."

Simple to talk about, but hard to do when someone is telling you that the world needs to be fed, or that there are hurricane victims to house. 

Right?

And that is why it is so hard to resist the siren call of telemarketers calling from a charity.

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.

Washington, DC - Shaun Dakin, CEO The National Political Do Not Contact Registry - Sign up for free and join the over 85,000 voters that are fed up with Robocall Spam.  Sign up at StopPoliticalCalls.org