ptquilts

I think they do sell your info, they get more money that way.

I don't mind getting mail from charities, I get a lot of return address labels that way!! I can ignore them if I want to.

If they call, just say "not interested, sorry" and hang up, it's your phone and you don't have to listen to them.

ckcowl

they didn't have to sell your info- once you give to a large charitable organization your information is automatically on the (LIST) as someone who gives. we get 25-40 requests (weekly!) from everyone out there.
i did send to one with a note stating that if i received any thing from them for the next year i would never give to them again-once a year only! so far (2 months now) i have not been inundated by that one...but i don't want to send to everyone --- so havent figured out how to get them to stop.
i wish there was something we could call-like the 'do not call list' to be removed---hmmm....maybe there is??????? will have to look. seems like there should be.

Helovesme

Same thing happens to me. Don't know how all the others got my number. I tell them my charity funds are limited and to please take me off their list. It takes them a few phone calls and me to say no before they stop calling, but they do eventually stop calling. Sometimes, I just don't answer the phone if I know it's "one of them".

EIQuilter

Most reputable charities will remove you from their calling list if you request it - but don't invoke the "I'm on the do not call list" line, because charities are exempt from the Do Not Call list (as are political calls and market research firms). Most times, a simple "Please remove me" is all it takes. I try to keep my donations local, and that's what I tell telephone callers. It's just a waste of their time to call me to ask for money, and most have quit calling me.

As for mail solicitations, you might try sending them back and asking to be removed from their distribution list. Personally, I just toss them in the recycle bin. I don't get upset that they send them, but I think about all the money the charity is spending on paper, postage, labor to stuff the envelopes, etc. I wonder if they get enough donations back to cover their expenses!

May in Jersey

"As for mail solicitations, you might try sending them back and asking to be removed from their distribution list. Personally, I just toss them in the recycle bin. I don't get upset that they send them, but I think about all the money the charity is spending on paper, postage, labor to stuff the envelopes, etc. I wonder if they get enough donations back to cover their expenses!"

Years ago I requested a mass card from a well know Catholic mission, and ever since I've been receiving unsolicited mass cards, greeting cards and request for donations from for them and about 20 other like groups. I've sent stuff back with the request to remove my name and address but it never happened. Now I keep a few of the envelopes that come with the cards and put the rest into the recyclying box.

Another annoying thing is when I make a donation to a charity I receive a thank you from them that includes address labels with my name and addy as well as a request for another donation. I now keep a list of when, who and how much I donate to the groups I choose to support, everything else goes into recyclying. I have enough address labels to last me about 15 years, most of them also get recycled.

scraphq

I made a larger than usual donation to our local PBS station and they badly misspelled my name on the receipt. I can't tell you how many other solicitations I got with the same error. No mistaking who the name seller was!

scraphq

Sorry!

quiltsRfun

I read once that you can track where these come from (if by mail) by using different spelling or middle initials on the forms. I bought some Time/Life books many many years ago that had my name misspelled. For many years I received offers from various companies with that same misspelled name. They must have made plenty selling my name to all those lists. I suppose you could do this by phone also by using a bogus first name. But my solution is like so many of the others, just don't answer unfamiliar numbers. I figure if it's from someone whose number I don't recognize or if it's really important they'll leave a message.

carhop

The phone company kept calling me wanting me to get their cable tv and or up my email speed finaly after getting calls three days in a row I told them that they were pushing me to go to the other cable along with phone and email the man asked if I would like to be put on the nocall list they havent called me sence

Sienna's GiGi

The same thing happens to me too. I really wish they would espect the privacy of the giver.