How to Deal with Charity Telemarketing This Holiday Season

The Christmas season is a time for giving. For charity telemarketers it is a time for getting your dollars for donations. A survey of people on the National Do Not Call List shows that many on the list do not understand there are exemptions. The first of which are politicians and their political campaigns. It is not without notice that the people who made the law, made themselves exempt from it. The second are charities. To better state, the second group of exempts I should point out is supposed to be legitimate charities. Another irony is that both groups have a common thread in that they each have their share of bad seeds infiltrating them.

You have the right to ask.

In many cases the ratio of dollars to charity and dollars to telemarketing companies can be as low as 1 to 10 or lower. You have the right to ask what percent of your donation actually goes the charity cause. The caller is also by law required to give you their real full name, the name of the company and its location. You have the right to ask if the caller is being paid for performing the job. The catch is you have to ask before they will give the information.

What you should never do.