The phone is ringing, and I don't recognize the number, All Caller ID says is, "NAME UNAVAILABLE".
Please help me figure out who is calling and what they want
They called my elderly father. After a "friendly" chat, they offered to send him confirmation that he'd belonged to an organization 70+ years ago. He reports there was no mention of money. He subsequently got a Directory, a bill for $130 and a threatening collection letter. He called them and got "Margaret Armstrong, Collections Supervisor" at (800) 829-2629. She offered to arrange a return and asked for his email address so she could send him info on how to send the book back (so now they have his e mail address too). Her email to him promises to credit his account if he returns the book by a specified date… Sure! I called and gave her the usual hell. I got the usual negligible results.
There are two actions that may be effective: The first is to contact the Federal Trade Commission/Do Not Call Registry and explain how their exemption of non-profits is being exploited by outfits that use unfair and deceptive business practices. It would help to call your senator and representative as well. The second is to contact your college or other organization. Explain that you can't support an organization that contracts with this type of outfit and that you're going to take this up with the alumni organization. Then follow through. Ask for a written response.
Based on my prior experience with this sort of thing, 10 contacts will be enough to make an organization review their policy. They know that, for everyone who complains, there are 100 who are just as angry. The Do Not Call people don’t want questions from legislators and colleges can't afford to have 1000 alumni mad at them…... But you have to do it.
They called my elderly father. After a "friendly" chat, they offered to send him confirmation that he'd belonged to an organization 70+ years ago. He reports there was no mention of money. He subsequently got a Directory, a bill for $130 and a threatening collection letter. He called them and got "Margaret Armstrong, Collections Supervisor" at (800) 829-2629. She offered to arrange a return and asked for his email address so she could send him info on how to send the book back (so now they have his e mail address too). Her email to him promises to credit his account if he returns the book by a specified date… Sure! I called and gave her the usual hell. I got the usual negligible results.
There are two actions that may be effective: The first is to contact the Federal Trade Commission/Do Not Call Registry and explain how their exemption of non-profits is being exploited by outfits that use unfair and deceptive business practices. It would help to call your senator and representative as well. The second is to contact your college or other organization. Explain that you can't support an organization that contracts with this type of outfit and that you're going to take this up with the alumni organization. Then follow through. Ask for a written response.
Based on my prior experience with this sort of thing, 10 contacts will be enough to make an organization review their policy. They know that, for everyone who complains, there are 100 who are just as angry. The Do Not Call people don’t want questions from legislators and colleges can't afford to have 1000 alumni mad at them…... But you have to do it.