Veteran scam (Wilmington: credit card, college, living in)
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I normally don't answer the phone for an unrecognized number but I just did and I am posting this to warn others.
The call came from the Injured American Veterans and they were looking for a pledge. The script went something like this:
We need to do everything we can for the Injured American Vets. They are counting on you, wouldn't you like to help? I interrupted him and responded "that would depend". Before I could get those words out, he continued with the script, I would like to send you a pledge card for one of the top two donations, $55 and.......I cut him off and said, "sir with all due respect as the proud daughter of a WWII vet, I want to see every Vet get what is due them and more. However, I just responded that it would depend and you didn't stop to ask "upon what" and merely continued with your script. So, now that I have your attention don't you want to ask me that question?" He again continued with the script and was all set to mail me a kit. I again asked the same question but this time, I said, "my donation is contingent upon the exact percentage that the Vets actually receive from your organization, so what is that percentage?" He quickly responded at warp speed and his response was garbled. So I stopped him again and said " was that 10% goes to the Vets" and 90% to you?" He said yes very low. So I said, "please can you speak up, and give me that % again a bit slower?" He verified 10%. So, I said, "you are a despicable scammer and are doing nothing to help the vets". Please lose my name and number.
Just FYI, ask this question for any solicitation call be it from a Veterans organization or otherwise.
Nuts,
Good for you! I used to just hang up on this type of call. But now I do try to keep them on while I Google the name of the charity, or use Charity Navigator to look them up. (Usually they aren't even rated, they're so bad or not even registered as a charity.)
I'm actually pretty amazed they admitted the high percentage of fundraising/administrative expenses.
I figure if they are kept on the phone for every call, for 10 or 15 minutes without getting a penny, maybe these scammers would eventually discover they can't make money at it -- and stop.
I love the ones that start the call with, "And how are you today?" Because I then launch into a detailed description of all my aches and pains and doctors' appointments, and all the problems my children and grandchildren are having that I worry about. (We don't have any kids.)
And then when they finally get a word in edgewise, I realize someone's at the door, so I ask them to hold on. Or I quickly set the kitchen timer so it goes off and I ask them to hold on while I get the cookies out of the oven. (I haven't baked in 10 years.)
Eventually I ask them if they are close to their mom (after talking about my kids). If they say yes, I ask if she knows what they do for a living. I point out that she would probably be ashamed to know that they are scamming people who probably need the money more than a corrupt fundraising group.
There are all kinds of games to play with these guys. Sometimes I don't have time to do the full-blown "I'm so interested but please just hang on one more minute" routine. But I surely do get a kick out of it when I have no deadline on my end and I can just play them along forever!
Nuts,
Good for you! I used to just hang up on this type of call. But now I do try to keep them on while I Google the name of the charity, or use Charity Navigator to look them up. (Usually they aren't even rated, they're so bad or not even registered as a charity.)
I'm actually pretty amazed they admitted the high percentage of fundraising/administrative expenses.
I figure if they are kept on the phone for every call, for 10 or 15 minutes without getting a penny, maybe these scammers would eventually discover they can't make money at it -- and stop.
I love the ones that start the call with, "And how are you today?" Because I then launch into a detailed description of all my aches and pains and doctors' appointments, and all the problems my children and grandchildren are having that I worry about. (We don't have any kids.)
And then when they finally get a word in edgewise, I realize someone's at the door, so I ask them to hold on. Or I quickly set the kitchen timer so it goes off and I ask them to hold on while I get the cookies out of the oven. (I haven't baked in 10 years.)
Eventually I ask them if they are close to their mom (after talking about my kids). If they say yes, I ask if she knows what they do for a living. I point out that she would probably be ashamed to know that they are scamming people who probably need the money more than a corrupt fundraising group.
There are all kinds of games to play with these guys. Sometimes I don't have time to do the full-blown "I'm so interested but please just hang on one more minute" routine. But I surely do get a kick out of it when I have no deadline on my end and I can just play them along forever!
DH thinks I am crazy, which i readily admit to, by the way. Once time I had someone who was soliciting for something and I appeared to fall hook line and sinker for the cause.
Me Oh how wonderful that you are doing this for those unfortunate people. We all need to do our part. Blah, blah ....I laid it on thick for sure. So I agreed to a $200 donation and then he asked for my credit card. I said I was a widow and my son did all the bill paying etc. for me. I explained that I needed to make the payment in cash because the last time I did this my son, who is very unreasonable and does not understand charity at all got very angry with me. I went on to say that my late hubby, and I were very ashamed that we raised such an ingrate but and we were not going to leave him and his mean wife any money and maybe I could leave it to this charity. The final cherry on the cake was I told him my son had yelled at me repeatedly and actually hit me because I sent money to the ASPCA and I lived in fear of him. So it had to be cash. He wound up wanting to report him to the police and I had to beg him not to because my son flies off the handle so easily as it is, that if the police came he would be very angry. He could not accept cash and said he would pray for me and gave me a suggestion of opening up a separate account that my son had no access to. I chuckled the rest of the day. I will stay for the record that elder abuse is not at all funny, but, I did have a few laughs and had him on the line for quite a bit of time.
Nuts,
Good for you! I used to just hang up on this type of call. But now I do try to keep them on while I Google the name of the charity, or use Charity Navigator to look them up. (Usually they aren't even rated, they're so bad or not even registered as a charity.)
I'm actually pretty amazed they admitted the high percentage of fundraising/administrative expenses.
I figure if they are kept on the phone for every call, for 10 or 15 minutes without getting a penny, maybe these scammers would eventually discover they can't make money at it -- and stop.
I love the ones that start the call with, "And how are you today?" Because I then launch into a detailed description of all my aches and pains and doctors' appointments, and all the problems my children and grandchildren are having that I worry about. (We don't have any kids.)
And then when they finally get a word in edgewise, I realize someone's at the door, so I ask them to hold on. Or I quickly set the kitchen timer so it goes off and I ask them to hold on while I get the cookies out of the oven. (I haven't baked in 10 years.)
Eventually I ask them if they are close to their mom (after talking about my kids). If they say yes, I ask if she knows what they do for a living. I point out that she would probably be ashamed to know that they are scamming people who probably need the money more than a corrupt fundraising group.
There are all kinds of games to play with these guys. Sometimes I don't have time to do the full-blown "I'm so interested but please just hang on one more minute" routine. But I surely do get a kick out of it when I have no deadline on my end and I can just play them along forever!
I normally don't answer the phone for an unrecognized number but I just did and I am posting this to warn others.
The call came from the Injured American Veterans and they were looking for a pledge. The script went something like this:
We need to do everything we can for the Injured American Vets. They are counting on you, wouldn't you like to help? I interrupted him and responded "that would depend". Before I could get those words out, he continued with the script, I would like to send you a pledge card for one of the top two donations, $55 and.......I cut him off and said, "sir with all due respect as the proud daughter of a WWII vet, I want to see every Vet get what is due them and more. However, I just responded that it would depend and you didn't stop to ask "upon what" and merely continued with your script. So, now that I have your attention don't you want to ask me that question?" He again continued with the script and was all set to mail me a kit. I again asked the same question but this time, I said, "my donation is contingent upon the exact percentage that the Vets actually receive from your organization, so what is that percentage?" He quickly responded at warp speed and his response was garbled. So I stopped him again and said " was that 10% goes to the Vets" and 90% to you?" He said yes very low. So I said, "please can you speak up, and give me that % again a bit slower?" He verified 10%. So, I said, "you are a despicable scammer and are doing nothing to help the vets". Please lose my name and number.
Just FYI, ask this question for any solicitation call be it from a Veterans organization or otherwise.
I got the same call during the week. I asked the same question regarding what percentage of my money would actually go to the injured vets and he said, "10%". I said, "That is too low a percentage for the organization and I would never donate with such a high administration cut." Then I just hung up.
BTW, the caller ID said the call was from Willmington.
DH thinks I am crazy, which i readily admit to, by the way. Once time I had someone who was soliciting for something and I appeared to fall hook line and sinker for the cause.
Me Oh how wonderful that you are doing this for those unfortunate people. We all need to do our part. Blah, blah ....I laid it on thick for sure. So I agreed to a $200 donation and then he asked for my credit card. I said I was a widow and my son did all the bill paying etc. for me. I explained that I needed to make the payment in cash because the last time I did this my son, who is very unreasonable and does not understand charity at all got very angry with me. I went on to say that my late hubby, and I were very ashamed that we raised such an ingrate but and we were not going to leave him and his mean wife any money and maybe I could leave it to this charity. The final cherry on the cake was I told him my son had yelled at me repeatedly and actually hit me because I sent money to the ASPCA and I lived in fear of him. So it had to be cash. He wound up wanting to report him to the police and I had to beg him not to because my son flies off the handle so easily as it is, that if the police came he would be very angry. He could not accept cash and said he would pray for me and gave me a suggestion of opening up a separate account that my son had no access to. I chuckled the rest of the day. I will stay for the record that elder abuse is not at all funny, but, I did have a few laughs and had him on the line for quite a bit of time.
I always thought you to be a good person, but you're no longer on my C-D short list. Not that you care. My husband was career military, so I know where to send my money. My niece and nephew worked phone when they were in college. They weren't begging, maybe they were, or selling, but they got points for new customers and positive input.
That story wasn't at all funny. You caused someone to feel anguish wondering if you would be OK. Not Funny.
I always thought you to be a good person, but you're no longer on my C-D short list. Not that you care. My husband was career military, so I know where to send my money. My niece and nephew worked phone when they were in college. They weren't begging, maybe they were, or selling, but they got points for new customers and positive input.
That story wasn't at all funny. You caused someone to feel anguish wondering if you would be OK. Not Funny.
To your point, I was a military wife. My dad was WWII with a purple heart from being shot. Nothing makes me more angry than seeing people scammed for any cause. Many of these telemarketers are simply scammers and I believe, if they have a head on their shoulders the representatives know that they are working for a paycheck and often times the lonely and elderly are where they are getting their dollars from. In my book, I would rather be living in a box than scamming anyone. I am sorry you did not like my story and as indicated elder abuse is not funny. The number of charities that are truly deserving is rather small as compared to the number of charities in total on the books. During my career on Wall Street, I worked for a company that handled the wealthy families of "blue blood" origins. We spent a lot of time researching deserving charities within their scope of charitable causes and I learned a lot about the ways so called charities used their donations.
As to telemarketers, my attitude is plain and simple, I spent a lifetime working in NYC and when I got home, I didn't need or want to be disturbed by them. I would never giving them a dime of my money. I don't share your kindness toward telemarketers and I think I have a lot of company. I now screen all calls so I am not disturbed by them. This story I told was a long time ago, before the" do not call lists" became popular and before I had caller ID. If you call me unsolicited and are a telemarketer, then my "toying" with you, prevents you from annoying another person who might not ask the following questions. What percentage of every dollar goes to the cause and can you provide those figures to me in writing? If they tell you a great % and refuse to document it, then don't send a dime and don't believe them.
I got the same call during the week. I asked the same question regarding what percentage of my money would actually go to the injured vets and he said, "10%". I said, "That is too low a percentage for the organization and I would never donate with such a high administration cut." Then I just hung up.
BTW, the caller ID said the call was from Willmington.
Thank you for adding this as you are validating that the number was 10%. I honestly was astounded when he said that and you are right the call was from Wilmington.
For what it is worth, a charity that is spending 65% directly on the programs is considered good and those 75% or better exceptional according to many respected charity watch dog organizations.
If you really want to see some interesting reading, ask the charity for the Federal form 990 or you can get it from Guidestar or Charity Navigator or from the charity directly. It might make your jaw drop if you saw the amount of money going to professional fundraisers vs the actual program.
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