This falls more under the category of Public Service Announcement! I've seen this tactic for years and it seems to have been stepped up a bit (as I am sure charities are seeing donations decrease). There is also the very real possibility/probability that these aren't charities trying to trick you in to donating, but just scam artists going through the phone book!
The scene: You are running around the house (as usual) and the phone rings
You: Hello?
Caller: hello, is this Mrs Cherry?
You: yes, may I help you? (rolling your eyes because you wish you had checked your caller ID first)
Caller: Mrs. Cherry, this is John from Very Wonderful Sounding Charity! We called about 8 weeks ago and spoke to your husband and he made a pledge to us. We were just calling to follow up with you and see when we could expect your check? We sent you a bill 8 weeks ago. If it is more convenient, you could pay it by credit card right now!
You: oh sorry about that - let me give you my credit card right now!
Except there is one problem...they never called 8 weeks ago and your husband never pledged the money!
How do I know that?
Because I get at least four of these calls per week and, if you knew my husband, you would know that there is no way in Hades that he would ever pledge money to a charity that called him on the phone (no would I). He has no problem writing checks when we have a few extra dollars, but making a committment? It's never going to happen!
So here is how my conversations have been going:
Me: Hello?
Caller: hello, is this Mrs Cherry?
Me: yes, may I help you? (rolling my eyes because I wish I had checked my caller ID first)
Caller: Mrs. Cherry, this is John from Very Wonderful Sounding Charity! We called about 8 weeks ago and spoke to your husband and he made a pledge to us. We were just calling to follow up with you and see when we could expect your check? We sent you a bill 8 weeks ago. If it is more convenient, you could pay it by credit card right now!
Me: That's a lie, but nice try!! (click)
Do I feel guilty for hanging up on people? NO!
While it certainly isn't proper etiquette, I feel no obligation to anyone who calls me at my home to lie to be in order to scam me out of money.
Have you noticed an increase in these kinds of phone calls?
laura
the school i graduated from calls all the time... they used to ask for $25 but now they are asking for $100! the thing is, i graduated in social work from graduate school 10 months ago... and i still owe 26K in student loan debt. don't they have enough of my money??
Mindi
LOL! My husband graduated 20 years ago and they never call him....they go straight for his parents 😉
Celia
I had a giant increase in people calling, asking for this woman named Mrs. O'Something and after I tell them she is not there they go on about their charity. Which makes me crazy because I refuse to give to people who call me at home. It was twice a day for a while. We have since changed our number. They always resent it as if they are calling for their friend. Ugh.
I love to give, but we are very careful about what charity we give to.
Tirade
I haven't noticed an increase in calls, but I had a police charity call up last year and use the same "But you already agreed to give us money!" line. They were very intimidating and I could just imagine confused elderly people handing over some cash out of fear that the "police" were telling them that they owed money. I just hung up the phone out of disgust, but in retrospect, I should have asked for their supervisor and complained.
Mindi
Yeah - those "police associations" are the worst...especially since, from what I hear, only about 10% goes to training, equipment, etc
Tirade
P.S. This reminded me of the time that Comcast called up demanding that I pay a bill over the phone RIGHT NOW using my credit card. I told them it seemed like a very bad idea to hand my credit card information over to someone claiming to be from Comcast when I could safely pay my bill online. The CSR said "Oh, I never thought of that" and and gave me the number to her supervisor so that I could sort the billing issue out (I assumed the number was legit after it took me through Comcast's menu system before talking to this person). The fact that issues of identity theft and fraud never occurred the CSR made me wonder how many credit card numbers they were able to obtain just by calling up and asking. Scary stuff.
What's the point of all this? Don't trust anyone who calls up asking for a credit card number even if they sound like they are from a legitimate company or charity!!! If you need to make a payment over the phone, explain that you are concerned about identity theft and see how they can accomodate you.
Heidi @ ggip
Were they the chiefs of police? I have heard that they aren't much of a charity anyhow. And they are NOT NICE on the phone.