Corporations for Character review: Legitimacy 26

This is a scam to feel sorry for cops, police. Police and cops are overpaid and get great benefits and easily get a mortgage. Police are trained to hate the people and help the gov with all their causes to make gov executive more money.
This Corp for character [protected] gives 15% and keeps the rest for a luxury lifestyle for the owners using the police, ambulanc and fireman as an excuse to throw away your hard earned money. Hang up this is a SCAM to steal your money

Every day I receive an automated phone call from this company. Every day I tell them not to call back, but they continue

Here is a suggestion: Most of these companies use automated dialing equipment and tone detection is part of their automation. If the tone detection equipment hears the industry standard "no such number tone." The computer will remove your telephone number from the data base. To hear the standard "no such number tone" go to: http://www.phworld.org/sounds/modern/cis/414327_notcompleted.mp3

The tone that proceeds this announcement will remove you number from the telemarketer's data base.

You can purchase a device that simulates this telephone company tone from a number of sources: http://www.amazon.com/CPR-Call-Blocker-V202-Telemarketer/dp/B00JG02ZEY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1441515901&sr=1-1&keywords=telemarketer+blocker

I've received A LOT of calls about Breast Cancer Awareness from Corporation for Character, a professional fundraising corporation. One call finally got through to me and what I heard was a very sweet sounding young women with a Texas twang telling me I was a hard women to get a hold of. She then preceded into her speech (same speech a123b reported in Feb. 2014), which I just said, no, not interested, take us off your list, don't call here again and hung up. Two days later, sure enough, Andrea from CfC left the same damn speech on my answering machines. We have a very short message that doesn't work well for predictive dialers, so most telemarketers, scammers, etc., think someone has answered the phone. My next step is to file a compliant. They call enough that this has moved from annoying to harassment. # that showed up on my caller ID is [protected] (BC Outreach).

I was called by this company saying they represent and fundraising for "The Fraternal Order of Police" and using some VERY strong sympathy tactics to try and get me to just agree to let them send me a donation form (no obligation or financial committment over the phone).

I asked them two questions: 1. How much of my donation actually goes to the charity you are collecting for. The representative said 30%. So I ask all of you... how can they sit there any nearly cry in their plea for money, then only give 30% of what they collect to them and say they are calling "on behalf of" or to try desperately to "help them as much as we can"?! This is 100% about profit for them, and not for the company they are trying to help.

If you want to donate to the Fraternal Order of Police, go to their website, make contact with them and ask them to put you in contact with their fundraising program/POC and donate directly so 100% of what you give will go to a worthy cause/organization, not into a corporations profit coffers.

They are the ones who should be guilted into giving 75+% of the donations they receive to their donors. Sad that in America, this is legal. If I had no heart, I would get into this line of work and get rich quickly.

This answering machine tactic is terrible and the 'customer service' company they outsource to is just as bad. These are just a bunch of losers who can't get a better job and are mad at life.

I keep getting phone calls from them every week. Im on the national do not call registry. They are a terrible scam company.

Last message they left:

VOICE1: Hello is Janice there?
VOICE2: Ok hi!
VOICE1: Hello is Leroy there?
VOICE2: Ok hi! --this is the-- *mumbles/cut off*
VOICE1: *long pause* Hello is Lisa there?
VOICE2: Ok hi this --this is the--*mumbles/cut off* department calling on behalf on the Breast Cancer Financial Assistance Fund and I'm with Corporations for Character and Professional Fundraiser and we were actually calling for ether one of you. Uh the reason for my call is that they just kicked of their new fun drive to help build better *mumbles* to fight breast cancer. and aside from fundraising costs, the association provides free supplies as well as direct financial aid to cancer patients in need, and so we wanted to make sure that when you receive your pledge kit -could these patients count on your support with a little something, is that ok? *in a really annoying fake tone

These clowns have called me three times from three different numbers, the latest last night at 10 p.m.. I can't get them to stop eventhough I have repeatedly told them I am on the national and state dnc lists, I have no affiliation with their organization and want them to stop immediately or my lawyer would contact them. Last night, Andrea, actually started laughing and told me to try and catch them. So, anybody out there, how do I catch them and sue the pants off of them?

Incredible! I just got this call. It was a broken computer program, so I just let it run on mute - it was hilarious! It was ostensibly from Corporations for Character, and identified as 'Hello this is Brent Raybie from Corporations for Character calling for the Fraternal Order of Police' in Pima County, lodge 20; or various states, TX, WV, NY, FL, so far - then I stopped listening. Wow. At first I answered, then the program - which really sounds like a real person - just kept asking for different names - so I stopped saying "there is nobody here by that name" on the second name and let it talk. They change their tune and charity with each go around, as well as the list of names they ask to speak to, including the lady of the house and the man of the house. After they sign off, it all starts over again - with different names and charities. Wow, what a scam! I figure they're paying for it, I didn't ask for this call, so let them hang. At 37 minutes into the call it finally went dead so I hung up. They have quite a list of names, and quite a litany. It's a total scam to make money folks - do a little research and don't fall for it. Also, if they send you a "reminder" or a "bill" it isn't real - don't waste your energy getting upset - just toss it out. At least you cost them time and postage, as well as a phone call. What a shame that people get away with this sort of thieving! Only the first question sounded like a real person - then it kept talking and asking and responding in a silly manner which was a total give away. Funny! Don't give any money to their "cause" - themselves - and have fun!

Just read JS10's comments, on review, it was a computer talking to me, but the programming was so good, I really didn't notice. Amazing.

Just got a call from them to do a 'survey' where they ask a lot of very obvious questions basically about censorship and children. When I didn't answer the questions as they wished, they hung up on me.

Got a call from Corporations for Character calling about a donation for Cancer. I told the woman that I don't donate to charities that call me out of the blue. She proceeded to ask if it would be OK to send out the donation packet in the mail. I restated my comment on not donating. She again asked if it would be OK to mail me the packet. I then asked if she understood what I was saying. And again she asked if it would be OK to mail the packet. At this point I suspected I was not talking to a person so I asked what was the name of the man who first stepped on the moon. Her response was the same as before. I then started having fun with the conversation being careful not to say OK or any positive response to her question. To keep the conversation going, I could always ask what her name was again. At one point I said my puppy died and that she had killed him. She had a generic response like 'that's interesting'. I will have to admit that the computer program was very realistic in the way it conversed. It did take some time to realize she wasn't live. I figure that they are recording the conversation so give them something to listen to. At one point I mentioned that I would like to donate 10 million dollars. That also got a generic response. If they try to hold me to that figure I would say 'of course I would LIKE to donate that much but I don't have it'.
I had my wife listen in for a bit. She was impressed with the complexity of the programming also. When my wife was done listening, she said OK to me. That triggered to computer to move on to the "I've got a positive response sequence to my question about send out the packet". All I had to do then is ask her name again to get her back into the game.
I'm grateful "Rachael from Card Members Services" doesn't have that technology.

Remember...a telephone does NOT have a constitutional right to be answered!

If YOU did not start the call asking you for money, IT IS A SCAM!

In this day and age, face-to-face is the ONLY reality...and even some of those are suspect! DO NOT give info or money unless you have known them all your life AND your lawyer says it is ok!

I received a call about a week ago from this company saying they represent and fundraising for "The Fraternal Order of Police" and they wanted to know why they had yet to receive the money i had pledged. I was very upset with the caller and told him in no uncertain terms that I had not agreed to pledge any money and for them to quit calling me as it is my policy to never agree to donate to telephone solitations. I said more like - I did not appreciate their pressure tactics. Today I got a letter in the mail - it was a reminder stating that they had yet to receive a donation originally consicered on 03/07/12 (this was probably the first time they called me). Another thing is that in very fine print on the bill/pledge that is mailed back to them was: 'Although the F.O.P. is recongnized as a non-profit organization by the IRS, because of its particular status, donations are not tax deductible as charitable contribuions for Federal Tax purposes.' Any suggestions about how to go about reporting this business.

Let me add that going to the website of Cancer Fund of America yields little in the way of contact information. I have been unable to uncover an email address for this cancer fund. Their donations must all be electronic, as far as I have pursued the issue. The website is way overactive and rather uninformative. I have not looked closely at their financials, available on the site, but I would not contribute to this organization simply because they hide behind the kind of protective barrier that I, as a homeowner, do not have. They can harass me, but I cannot even email them or call them on the phone.

That's not right!

I just got a call about the Cancer Fund. I hung up, then called the caller ID number. I appreciate that they don't block their caller ID and that their workers are "nice." But the fact remains, this is not a charity. It's a business that has no reason for existing except to take your money.

I believe that "nice" is just a new tactic on an old scam, prompted by the FCC's recent changes in regulations regarding telephone scams, and increased government prosecutions of offenders. The new "nice" is their response to increased awareness and policing activity. That still doesn't make them honest.

It is by my personal definition a species of scam. Was I rude to the fellow who answered the phone, who claimed his name is Larry? Yes. Was Larry nice? Yes. Do I have any qualms of conscience about asking Larry for his home phone and address? No. Of course, Larry did not give me his home phone and address. When I asked if that was fair, considering he had just told me he could find out my own phone and address from his phone system, Larry said I wasn't being polite. These people are leeches.

i work at this place, give me ### for it, i need the money and am currently looking for other employment. Corporation for Character is a complete scam, they claim to be a charity organization but are actually just a telemarketing sceme, tricking people into paying money for something that goes very little to the cause. Ill lay it out for you the actually percentage, cancer 5% of your doller (this is the one that really pisses me off and gets under my skin) Police Department. 25-30% (this one gets enough from the state), they have found a loop hole in which they can charge a client an enormous processing fee to donate to a charity. You guys who really thought that telemarketer who called you was a persen your not the brightest in the bunch, its a computer program that allows each person who is working to run three calls at a time and not only that, different people run different parts of the call. So next time your freaking out at me telling me i havent been listening to you i havent been, im just anxiously waiting for you to say not interested, or you want to donate, so i can move you along the script so i dont have to listen to your complaints about whatever any longer. This program makes it so we run through calls at an extreme rate using very little employes which, all seem to be paid at little over minmum wage, 8-11 dollars including managers, though i havent ventured over to the legal department which is the other half of their building. So where is all this money going, I really dont think its to the no-budget family friendly movies, made by are company owner Forrest S. Baker III. This kind of business is extremely affordable, and if you got the right program cost about nothing to run, so where is all this donation money going, well other then to pay the lot of lawsuits racked up, upper management. Maybe to pay for a 5 Million dollar house, i dont know, hmm. Im a ### for working for em i know, im in hard spot, so next time we call you just wait tell the stupid script pauses and you can actually talk and say put me on the Due Not Call list. To those who freak out, ya freak out, just not at me on the phone. Here is a great place to freak out, and they will actually listen to you. http://www.bbb.org/utah/business-reviews/charity-advertising-for-publications/corporations-for-character-lc-in-murray-ut-22243646

The Fraternal Order of Police of Nebraska called, gave wife the routine, and was told no.

A few days later we recieved a letter from them wanting us to "Full Fill" our $25 pledge. Have these people no shame?

The bill is now somewhere in the local landfill. Maybe someday the wife will just hang on them and eliminate this b.s.

I checked the 2008 IRS form 990 for the Texas Fraternal Order of Police.

See Schedule G:
http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2009/752/128/2009-752128927-06646dfc-9O.pdf

The Corporations for Character telemarketing firm actually gives just over 10% of what they raise to the actual nonprofit they say they are working for. Civic Development Inc., another telemarketer, engages in the same practice and has been fined by the Federal Trade Commission in the past for deceptive practices.

Civic Development Inc. raised $2.9 million "on behalf" of the Texas Fraternal Order of Police in 2008 and pocketed all but $308K of it.

I have heard bad things about MTC on Mo Bottom Road in Hazelwood. They take your money, disqualify you after 2 days (which maybe they had to-don't want to argue that) and don't return calls when trying to get your money back!

I just received a call by "Corporations for Character" and they said they were calling "on behalf of the "Cancer Fund of 'America". The woman that called was very nice and simply wanted to mail out a packet for me to lo9ok over ande asked a question that solicited a positive answer. (I am VERY familiar with these tactics as I am an Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist and Independent Associate with Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.) Rather than answer her question, I said "I assume you would need me to give you my address in order to mail the packet out, right? and advised her of my credentials and that I do NOT give out personal information over the phone to anyone for any reason and that includes my address and she immediately said, "Oh, and by the way, this call IS being recorded for quality assurance purposes". Then she advised that I COULD go directly to the Cancer Fund of America website ( www.cfoa.org) for information and to donate if I wished to.

My advice is to simply say that you are very security conscious due to the risk of identity theft and fraud and do not provide any personal information over the phone, including your address and that you will check out the website directly.

FOR IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE INFORMATION ON THE FIVE TYPES OF IDENTITY THEFT, HOW TO PROACTIVELY REDUCE YOUR RISK, WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE IN THE VARIOUS "SERVICES" CURRENTLY AVAILABLE, AND, WHAT "LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS" EXIST WITH THOSE SERVICES THAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME OR VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE TO VIEW A 5 MINUTE OVERVIEW MOVIE: http://www.prepaidlegal.com/idt/sbyrtus

Respectfully,

Susan Byrtus
Independent Associate
Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.

Toll Free: [protected]

I felt that the solicitor was nice, but quite insistent that I made a committment to donate "x" dollars on the spot and played very heavily on the sympathy tactics. I asked them to send me the information, so I would be able to review. I just received a follow-up call from the solicitor again pressuring me for a committment. I also followed the links that they mentioned on their form, but got lost in the site which lead me to look elsewhere and find this site. Thank you! My next question to the solicitor was how much he plans on donating to the FOP.

"Just saying, don't ### about what you know nothing about." ? What does more needs to be understood?

Read their prior history running afoul of CT State Attorney General back in 1997...
http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?A=1772&Q=282312

Check out this...www.ctstatefop.org/download/FundRaisingInfo.doc

then read their current tactics...http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-203-634-3348

Why does "Connecticut State Fraternal Order of Police" website states "We no longer use professional solicitors to make these calls, and 100% of every donation goes directly to the CT FOP."

Then read...http://www.ctstatefop.org/scholarship.shtml
"Please note that the 2009 Connecticut State Fraternal Order of Police Lodge Scholarship will not be awarded this year due to circumstances beyond our control."

Thank you for the insight. I agree donate directly. The donation (money you give) to CfC is not even tax deductable (which is a quick light bulb that means someone is making a lot of money), however to the FOoP is because they are a true non-for profit organization. If the money they were giving to the FoP was what was left over after they paid their expenses and employees then it would be tax deductible and non-for profit. I would happily help the police, however, I definitely am not helping someone build a great big house on a hill so I can drive by and admire it. Help needs to go to those who help us. Really and only 30%. absolute scam. Responsible donating is important and I sincerely appreciate my money going directly to the people I am trying to help. Thank you again Warrior4Christ for the insight. I honestly want my money to go to the people I am helping and "a half a million calls per day (per call center with three call centers) per day", well if only a third of the calls donated the suggested 25.00 that would mean (1, 500, 000 X .33) = 495, 000 X 25.00 = 12, 375, 000 x their 70% take = $8, 662, 500 a day for them and the rest for the FOoP. Oh my gosh! with the info Crasheddata provided it is stunning how much they make, no wonder they do it. THAT IS ONE REALLY BIG HOUSE ON THE HILL! And if it goes to the employees salaries (for Crash's sake) and they made... well lets say 10.00 and hours and 70 percent of the collect money went to the employees ( lets say 30% to facilities) then that would mean they would have to have over 600, 000 employees. Really come on... its just a big house (or maybe several big houses - with that much money coming in!)

I do have to agree that some of their pitches are in an ethical grey area though. Just saying, don't ### about what you know nothing about.

Umm, you do realize that the people calling from Corporations for Character do not work for free right? And they start their employees at above minimum wage, and they have quite a few employees, and handle an average of more than a half a million calls (per call center with three call centers) per day. Most of that 70% they keep goes just to paying employee wages.