Just about once a month, I get a phone call from a private number and the conversation goes something like this:

Me: Hello?
Brusque-sounding male: (pause while his phone systems catches on to the fact that I’ve answered) Elexina?
Me: May I ask who’s calling?
BSM: Is Elexina there?
Me: May I ask who’s calling?
BSM: Is Elexina there?
Me: May I ask who’s calling?
BSM: Steve. (sometimes it’s Frank or Jim or whatever) Is Elexina there?
Me: Where are you calling from?
BSM: Is Elexina there?
Me: Where are you calling from?
BSM: Is Elexina there?
Me: Where are you calling from?
BSM: Springfield. Is Elexina there?
Me: Can I ask what this is regarding?
BSM: Is Elexina there?
Me: Can I ask what this is regarding?
BSM: Is Elexina there?
Me: Can I ask what this is regarding?
BSM: A charity. Is Elexina there?
Me: This is Elexina, what charity is this regarding? (by now, he’s all huffy, and I’ve pulled out my charity list so I can be ready for his next speech)
BSM: Well, Elexina, this is Steve from New York American Veterans (or the Association of Firefighters and Paramedics, or the Concerned Police Officers Fund, or Injured Firefighters and Limping Orphans or something that sounds like you’d have to be a real jerk not to give to) and you’ve supported us in the past so we’re calling to find out if you can support us again this year.
Me: I have never supported your organization.
BSM: Yes you have. $35, last year.
Me: No, I have a list and your records are wrong.
BSM: No, you have supported us before.
Me: No, I haven’t.
BSM: Well, maybe it was under a different name. This is Safety Publications.
Me: No, I have never supported your organization. You’ve called me twice already this year and I told you the same thing.
BSM: We haven’t called you this year.
Me: Yes, you have. And I have asked repeatedly for my name to be removed from your lists.

The call usually ends there with him rudely assuring me he will remove my name and I tell him to try to be more polite and then hang up on him. It’s the same go-round every time. Sometimes I make a game out of it, to see how many different questions I have to ask to get out that he’s from Safety Publications, or how many times I can ask who he is before he gives me a fake name.

The point is, who are these “Safety Publications” people and what’s the deal? Does anyone else experience this charade? I know every penny I’ve given to charity for the past five+ years so I know that they are lying, but they insist and insist and try to badger me into a donation. You’d think they’d have given up by now. Would it do any good to ask to speak to a supervisor, or to complain to the Better Business Bureau? Should I just stop answering the phone when it comes up “private”? Do these angry-sounding men harass anyone else, or is it just me?


(please move this if another forum would be better)

I've found this site useful in the past:
Charity Navigator
I used to try and limit my charitable giving to Veterans Organizations, but they, along with many Police and Fireman funds, most of them benefit the fund raising companies to a far greater percentage than goes to the actual nominal recipients (?). The other thing is that for every group you donate to, another half dozen funds appear from nowhere. I think the safest thing to do is pick one charity that you believe in and that doesn't sell your name to every other Tom, Dick, and Harry. I have been donating to the Southern Poverty Law Center for the last 24 years. They take Hate Groups, like the KKK etc. to civil court and bankrupt them by winning judgements and seizing their property. Remember, also, the new IRS rules require that you be able to documnt your donations, which becomes a major recording pain if you have dozens of different ones.

I also believe that many small donations in response to telephone fundraisers, etc. is wasteful. How much does it cost to send out return address labels, dollar bills, medals, and religious icons, etc. compared to a five or ten buck donatio, Sorry, Lexi, I could go on for pages. One of my pet peeves is the tax exempt status the government hands out to every money grubbing phoney with an idea to line his own pockets by selling every worthy (or not) collection of people. End of rant!

No, Frank, I appreciate it. I have a very specific list of charities to whom I give, and I always call for removal when I get something unsolicited. For the most part, I'm comfortable with my charitable giving. I just really want to sock it to these particular people.

Thanks for the site! I also use Give.org, through the Better Business Bureau, although it used to be a lot more comprehensive...