Duped by the donation vampires

[Sam1]

Pretty funny conversation today, but at my expense... Guy posing as a Nashville Fire Dept. rep calls today and it went like this:

 

Guy: Hello, I'm looking for Mr Welch

Me: Sorry, wrong number

Guy: Are you the man of the house? maybe you can help me out.  I'm calling from NFD...[I interrupted]

Me: We already donate each year, not interested in doing any other donations. 

Guy: Oh, NFD will never ask you for a donation over the phone
Me: Ok, so what do you want? 
Guy: We're having a benefit concert...[I interrupted again]

Me: We're not interested
Guy: I understand that not everyone can afford $50 or $100 at one time, can I send you a form to provide a one-time benefit of $26 to NFD?
Me: I thought you didn't ask for donations over the phone.
Guy: I didn't, I just asked if I could send you the form.

 

I had nothing... so there was an awkward silence, then I just hung up knowing the guy got me on a technicality.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Sam1

[Garufa]

Those damn "firemen" are the pushiest SOB's I've ever dealt with over the phone.

[173rdABN]

haha, at least you just hung up.

[TrickyNicky]

He was technically right. The best kind of right.

If you want to get a few laughs ask them to look up your donation history and think long and hard about if they want to harass someone who already contributes $30,000.00 annually. Bet they trip all over themselves trying to explain how they didn't already know about your contribution schedule.

[10-Ring]

I got a similar call about a year ago, fire department was selling tickets to a benefit concert.  Their hook was after you told them that you couldn't make it they would tell you that they would give your ticket to a kid with cancer or something like that.  How do you say no to that?

[Spiffy]

The Vol Dept around here are big on the "can't you write me a check". I have gotten to where I just say NO you probably wouldn't get here in time if the house caught on fire anyways.

[npgunner]

Guess you can't even throw the challenge flag out on that one can you?  :surrender:

[Westwindmike]

I don't give to the local VFD through their fundraiser. The fundraising company gets a big chunk of that money. I just write them a check once a year and give it to them directly.

[Timestepper]

Where we live different "charities" set up at a nearby intersection on both North and Southbound sides of the traffic lights to solicit donations. The local volunteer Fire Department uses firemen's boots for their "collection buckets." They also make yearly "phone drives."

 

On their last "phone drive" I was having a crappy day (been a lot of those this year). Now, bear in mind the local Vol FD is one charity my wife and I agree to ALWAYS support, but like I said, I was having a crappy day and trying to explain that it wasn't because I didn't want to donate so much as the fact that I couldn't to a pushy donation seeker didn't make it any less crappy. Frustrated and exasperated I finally blurted out, "Look, I think you guys are the cat's ass, but I'm newly disabled and dead f*cking broke - keep needling me and the next time the guy sticks the boot in my truck window, I'm rolling up the window and hitting the gas and I don't care what color the f*cking light is!" There was a long pause and then a chuckle and the guy said, "Okay. Well, I guess I had that one coming. God bless you, brother, I hope your days get brighter." I thanked him politely and he hung up.

 

Guess I'll have to double up on the boot donation because my wife is betting that they don't even call us next year...

 

 

...TS...

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I look at the call waiting display and don't even pick up unless I recognize the ID or number. If I accidentally get caught speaking to someone like the police or firemen trying to collect money (i.e. getting woke up by the phone and rushing to answer the phone without my glasses on), I just hang up when they identify themselves. Rude, yep, but it is rude waking somebody up to beg for money.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Lester Weevils

[Murgatroy]

I keep asking my wife if we can turn off our home phone, she says no.

 

I don't answer if I don't know your number. And only half the time if I know who you are.

 

We have three cell phones, why do we need a home phone?

[Volzfan]

I just tell them that I pick and choose my own charities and that my policy that has served me well for 56 years now is that I NEVER give to anyone who calls me! 

Some will open the conversation by thanking me for my previous support. They will tell you anything. 

[tnguy]

I look at the call waiting display and don't even pick up unless I recognize the ID or number. If I accidentally get caught speaking to someone like the police or firemen trying to collect money (i.e. getting woke up by the phone and rushing to answer the phone without my glasses on), I just hang up when they identify themselves. Rude, yep, but it is rude waking somebody up to beg for money.

 

+1. I don't get heated up or angry, I just cut the call. Not that I don't think the callers have it coming, it's just not worth the aggravation.

 

Now, my father in law would keep them on the phone and tie them up with crazy stuff for as long as possible just for the fun of it.

[enfield]

I got a similar call about a year ago, fire department was selling tickets to a benefit concert.  Their hook was after you told them that you couldn't make it they would tell you that they would give your ticket to a kid with cancer or something like that.  How do you say no to that?

 

NO!

 

My wife tells 'em "Obama took all my money".

Edited September 21, 2013 by enfield

[analog_kidd]

Years ago we had some guy call raising money for the PD around Christmas time. Why do these places always call around Christmas? I kno wfolks are more giving around that time, but money is always tight at Christmas. I'm more likely to give in July than December.

 

Anyway, the guy calls up looking for a donation, using the hard sell tactic, and my wife politely says sorry we can't afford it and hangs up. The guy calls right back and leads with a long string of obscenities, telling my wife what a B**** he thinks she is. To this day it still makes my blood boil thinking about it.

 

Ever since then, any time the PD calls me looking for money, I share that story with them, Let them know that I know it's not their fault that guy was a dick, but I will NEVER donate to them EVER. There are lots of place I can and do donate to that will not cuss me or my wife out.

 

Plus, I now know that this wasn't police officers calling, and the group that does the calling is likely an scam that gives a very small percentage, if any, to the department.

[Sam1]

I don't give to the local VFD through their fundraiser. The fundraising company gets a big chunk of that money. I just write them a check once a year and give it to them directly.

 

That's exactly what we do, and we only do it to the volunteer departments not the ones with paid firefighters.

[McGarrett]

We kept getting these calls from the Republican party wanting money, I told them we did not want to donate anything and when they kept on for a while I told them if they didn't quit calling we would have to turn Democrat, and then I just hung up. I do not think they have called back since then. Our caller id was out for a while so I had trouble screening calls.

 

I am sure that these phone solicitors are one of the most annoying things that I encounter. I get a lot of them at our office phone along with bogus scam sales calls, yellow pages, OSHA compliance crap, etc. I have just been telling them I am not interested and hanging up because they will just waste your time if you let them. 

[tnhawk]

They can talk to the answering machine as long as they want, but they aren't likely to get a dime out of it.

[safeandsecure]

Best way I have found to "handle" annoyance calls -- solicitations, cold sales, etc. -- is to hand the phone to my 2-year-old grandson (when he's here).  He LIKES to talk.  Can't understand a tithe of what he says, though.

 

I usually just hang up when he ain't around.

 

And as for fire and police donations, I just tell those annoying, pushy, arrogant folks that I make my donations locally -- and in person.  THEN I hang up.

 

The ones that really chap my butt are the robo-calls, the ones that want you to push a number to speak with a real person.  Sometimes get 5 or 6 calls in a day from the same number (or occasionally, a different number, but with the same recording).  Haven't figured a way to stop those calls yet.  Wish I could.

 

I've also had a problem with a collection agency (maybe?) calling, asking for a relative of mine.  I swear, it always sounds like the same person calling.  Bet I've told her 40 times that he doesn't live here, has NEVER lived here, WILL NEVER live here, and no, I DON'T know how to get in touch with him.  She always apologises and says she'll take my number off the "contact" list.  Then a month or so later, she (or someone who sounds a LOT like here) will call again.

 

Yeah, I know: answering machine.  But if I could read the dang caller ID number (without my glasses), I wouldn't need an answering maching.

[daddyo]

I got a similar call about a year ago, fire department was selling tickets to a benefit concert.  Their hook was after you told them that you couldn't make it they would tell you that they would give your ticket to a kid with cancer or something like that.  How do you say no to that?

 

Just say no?