8882762971

Repeated phone calls from (888) 276-2971 and will not leave message.  Apparently a questionable charity (see Better Business Bureau report) or a scam organization.

These people need to be shut down. Write your representative.

These people have called at least three times this week. The first time they asked for a family member who was not home. When I asked who was calling and if I could take a message they refused to identify themselves. They also refused to put my number on a do not call list.

I've filed a complaint with the National Do Not Call List. I urge everyone to do likewise.

They sound like scumbags. The Better Business Bureau reports:

Despite written BBB Wise Giving Alliance requests in the past year, this organization either has not responded to Alliance requests for information or has declined to be evaluated in relation to the Alliance’s Standards for Charity Accountability. While participation in the Alliance’s charity review efforts is voluntary, the Alliance believes that failure to participate may demonstrate a lack of commitment to transparency. Without the requested information, the Alliance cannot determine if this charity adheres to the Standards for Charity Accountability. A charity's willing disclosure of information beyond that typically included in its financial statements and government filings is, in the Alliance's view, an expression of openness that strengthens public trust in the charitable sector.

If they won't let them see the financial, SCREW EM!!!

Hey Jim and Thomas, if you are so ligit and such do-gooders why do you pester people with your cheesy phoning practices?  You are only irritating people and making sure they give you nothing.

from Federal Trade Commission Website -

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/telemarketing/tel18.shtm

Helping Family and Friends Avoid Charity Fraud
Charities perform so many vital services in our communities. And in today’s tough economy, many charities are dealing with a variety of ups and downs: increases in the demand for service, and decreases in funding, to name just two. To meet their challenges, many are asking for bigger contributions, asking for contributions more often, and looking for a bigger pool of donors. In addition, legitimate charities are facing competition from fraudsters who either solicit for bogus charities or aren’t entirely honest about how the so-called charity will use contributions.

The Warning Signs of a Charity Scam

How can you tell whether someone you care about is the target of a charity scam — or whether you are yourself? The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, suggests that donors should avoid any charity or fundraiser that:

refuses to provide written information about its identity, its mission, its costs, and how the donation will be used;

will not provide proof that a contribution is tax deductible;

uses a name that closely resembles that of a better-known, reputable organization;

thanks a potential donor for a pledge the person doesn’t remember making;
asks a potential contributor for bank account or credit card information before the person has reviewed the organization’s information and agreed to contribute;

uses high-pressure tactics to secure a donation before the potential donor has had a chance to make an informed decision about giving;

asks for donations in cash;

offers to send a courier or overnight delivery service to collect the
donation immediately;

guarantees sweepstakes winnings in exchange for a contribution.

Charity Checklist
-Consider the following precautions to ensure that your donation dollars benefit the people and organizations you want to help. They’re good practices — whether you’re contacted by an organization’s employees, volunteers or professional fundraisers — and whether they solicit donations by phone, mail, online, or in person.
-Be wary of charities that spring up Sovernight in connection with current events and natural disasters. They may make a compelling case for your money, but as a practical matter, they probably don’t have the infrastructure to get the donations to the affected area or people.
-Ask for written information about the charity, including name, address, and telephone number.
-Check to see if the charity or fundraiser must be registered in your state by contacting the office that regulates charitable organizations and charitable solicitations. If so, check to see if the company you’re talking to is registered. For a list of state offices, visit the National Association of State Charity Officials at www.nasconet.org/agencies. Your state office also can verify how much of your donation goes to the charity, and how much goes to fundraising and management expenses. You also can check out charities with the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance (www.bbb.org/charity) and GuideStar (www.guidestar.org).
-Don’t be shy about asking who wants your money. Some charities hire professional fundraisers for large-scale mailings, telephone drives, and other solicitations, rather than their own staff or volunteers. They use a portion of the donations to pay the fundraiser’s fees. If you’re solicited for a donation, ask if the caller is a paid fundraiser, who they work for, and the percentage of your donation that will go to the charity and to the fundraiser. If you don’t get a clear answer — or if you don’t like the answer you get — consider donating to a different organization.
-Call the charity. Find out if the organization is aware of the solicitation and has authorized the use of its name. If not, you may be dealing with a scam artist.
-Watch out for similar sounding names. Some phony charities use names that closely resemble those of respected, legitimate organizations. If you notice a small difference from the name of the charity you intend to deal with, call the organization you know to check it out.
-Make a note on your desk or wall calendar when you donate. That way, when a fundraiser contacts you again, you’ll have easy access to the date of your last donation.
-Trust your gut — and check your records — if you have any doubt about whether you’ve made a pledge or a contribution. Callers may try to trick you by thanking you for a pledge you didn’t make. If you don’t remember making the donation or don’t have a record of your pledge, resist the pressure to give.
-Be cautious of promises of guaranteed sweepstakes winnings in exchange for a contribution. According to U.S. law, you never have to give a donation to be eligible to win a sweepstakes.
-Be wary of charities offering to send a courier or overnight delivery service to collect your donation immediately.
-Discuss the donation with a trusted family member or friend before committing the funds.
-Know the difference between “tax exempt” and “tax deductible.” Tax exempt means the organization doesn’t have to pay taxes. Tax deductible means you can deduct your contribution on your federal income tax return.
-Do not send or give cash donations.S Cash can be lost or stolen. For security and tax record purposes, it’s best to pay by check — made payable to the charity, not the solicitor.
-Checking Up
You can help a friend or family member locate legitimate charities by checking out the following organizations. They are good sources of free information about charities you may want to support.

BBB Wise Giving Alliance
4200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203
(703) 276-0100
www.bbb.org/charity

American Institute of Philanthropy
P.O. Box 578460
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 529-2300
www.charitywatch.org

Charity Navigator
1200 MacArthur Boulevard
Mahwah, NJ 07430
(201) 818-1288
www.charitynavigator.org

GuideStar
4801 Courthouse Street, Suite 220
Williamsburg, VA 23188
(757) 229-4631
www.guidestar.org

For More Information and Complaints
To learn more about making charitable donations count, visit www.ftc.gov/charityfraud.

If you believe an organization may not be operating for charitable purposes, or is making misleading solicitations, contact your state Attorney General (www.naag.org) or your local consumer protection agency (www.consumeraction.gov). You can get the phone numbers for these organizations in your phone book, through directory assistance, or through Web directories.

You also may file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the nation’s consumer protection agency.

Here are some tips from the FTC to help you be a more savvy consumer.

Know who you’re dealing with. Do business only with companies that clearly provide their name, street address, and phone number.
Protect your personal information. Share credit card or other personal information only when buying from a company you know and trust.
Take your time. Resist the urge to “act now.” Most any offer that’s good today will be good tomorrow, too.
Rate the risks. Every potentially high-profit investment is a high-risk investment. That means you could lose your investment — all of it.
Read the small print. Get all promises in writing and read all paperwork before making any payments or signing any contracts. Pay special attention to the small print.
“Free” means free. Throw out any offer that says you have to pay to get a gift or a “free” gift. If something is free or a gift, you don’t have to pay for it. Period.
Report fraud. If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, report it. It’s one way to get even with a scam artist who cheated you. By reporting your complaint to 1-877-FTC-HELP or ftc.gov, you are providing important information to help law enforcement officials track down scam artists and stop them!
May 2009

Supposeingly cfa support services called my mother for a pledge for some kind of cancer fund...To my knowledge these people are not a no-profit organization, but a telemarketer.....My mother's number is on the Do Not Call List... They should be fined.

Answered the phone & no response.

same as other complainers.. the sons of bush's will not stop and they use different calling id's as I always place them in my call rejection data base so they obviously implemented an automated call center and can re-dial on numbers that reject them using a different caller ID... sons of Bush's.

I also file do not call registry complaint for every call,but as many know that is a waste of time as our Govt is like a pay toilet:  pay the fee every April 15th only to find the toilet won't flush.

Just had a call from this number.

Anyone who gets an unwanted call like this sould file a complaint at

https://complaints.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx?panel=2

Hang up.

im sick of all the calls!!

They called and thanked me for giving to "Hospice Care." I do give to a number of well-known organizations devoted to cancer research, but have not recently given to organizations with the word "hospice" in their name. I assumed that it was a scam and asked to be taken off the list. I hope that MY rudeness was deserved. Judging by the other posts, it was..

They called me also and the first thing I asked was "HOW they got my Number"?
After they told me,they went into their talk of "DID I WANT TO HELP THEM with the Cure To Cancer?
Having been a Surviving wife,of a Husband who had it twice,and survived,I decided to help.SO,as time passed and a few Phone cell's,I FOUNF OUT THEY was helpING a Patient with CANCER,THAT LIVED AROUND the corner from me.
I Live in a Small Town,and KNEW EXACTLY WHO they we're talking about.So I Volunteered to help,and "you ALSO get paid on top of it".
I have never been harrased by them as far as TOO MANY CALL's,(Not saying no-one else has) BUT MAYBE if people want a CURE FOR THIS HORRIBLE DESEASE,WE ALL SHOULD STEP UP TO THE BAT!
God Bless to all,and just letting you all know,this is JUST MY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM! :)

THOMASS WROTE:
"THAT ORGANIZATION THAT YOU REFER TO AS A SCAM, WHICH BY LAW DEFINITION IS: POTENTIONALLY LIABLE FOR DEFAMATION.  THE ORGANIZATION IS AN IRS 501 (C) (3) TAX EXEMPT NON PROFIT, IT IS REGISTERED WITH ALL ATTORNEYS GENERAL AND/OR SECRETARYS OF STATE WHERE REQUIRED BY LAW AND HAS CONDUCTED AN ANNUAL INDEPENDENT AUDIT. "IGNORING THE FACTS DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACTS"

so is acorn!!!!

tomas..............why are you hollerin????

OK..............Let me complain here...........then
From their 2008 501 (C) return......

UMM HUMM

The bumms brought in 14,925,181 and paid to their charity only 5,518,601
So 1 out of EVERY 3 dollars that one gives goes to the people..........
That is a BADD return my friend!!!!

SADD MY FRIEND SAD

Cancer Charity Soliciting Nationally

Raises Millions, But Almost No Cash Goes to Direct Aid


College Station, Texas, July 2, 2009 – The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is advising area residents to be wary of a Tennessee-based cancer charity, which is giving less than a penny of every dollar raised in direct aid to help people with cancer.


Cancer Fund of America solicits donations across the U. S., including locally, through telemarketers, direct mail and online. The BBB found that more than 99 percent of all cash donations to the organization pay professional fundraising costs, salaries for charity officials, consultant fees and other expenses related to the charity’s operations.


“The large gap between Cancer Fund of America’s cash donations and the portion ultimately benefiting cancer patients should be a concern for every potential donor,” said Michelle Corey, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of the Brazos Valley and Deep East Texas. “Even when compared to other nonprofits that rely heavily on professional fundraisers, the charity’s record is unsatisfactory and donors should know that only a fraction of their donation will provide any direct benefit to cancer patients or their families.”


Nancy T. Kinney, academic director for the Nonprofit Management and Leadership Program at the University of Missouri St. Louis, said that while she is “not in favor of absolute limits on fundraising overhead,” the costs associated with Cancer Fund of America’s fundraising are “outrageous, no matter how you look at it.






Cancer Fund of America and a related support group, Cancer Fund of America Support Services, Inc., reported they raised slightly more than $17 million in 2007, the most recent year in which public information is available. Of that total, Cancer Fund of America reported it donated $54,000 in cash to unrelated groups or individuals – or about 3/10 of 1 percent. Of that $54,000, however, $50,000 went to a court directed cancer charity as part of a settlement with the Georgia Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs. The state alleged the charity gave out deceptive and misleading solicitations to consumers.


The salaries and benefit packages for charity president James T. Reynolds, Sr., two sons and a son-in-law totaled more than $537,000 for the same period. Cancer Fund of America and Cancer Fund of America Support Services, Inc., both of Knoxville, Tenn., reported to the Internal Revenue Service that in addition to the $17 million in cash donations, Cancer Fund of America also received $5.8 million in non-cash donations in 2007.


In an emailed response to the BBB, Reynolds said that anyone looking at the charity’s work should not ignore $3.3 million in non-cash donations the charity gave to individuals and other organizations in 2007. Some of those donated items, such as liquid dietary supplements, examination gloves and bed pads, were purchased by the charity, Reynolds said. But he failed to respond when asked what portion of those donated items was purchased and how much was given to the charity.


Cancer Fund of America reports it distributed the non-cash items – including over-the-counter medications and personal hygiene products - to a variety of social service organizations and individuals. However, several of the organizations listed in the charity’s federal report appear to have little direct connection with cancer causes.









A spokesperson for Angelic Ministries, an organization that works with the poor in the Knoxville region, said it receives “oodles” of items from Cancer Fund of America. Cancer Fund of America reported it gave about $317,000 in donated items to the ministry in 2007, and the spokesperson said much of that was over-the-counter pain and cold medications. She said about half the drug items were expired, but usually only by a few months, and the drugs remained effective.


Cancer Fund of America also reported giving nearly $230,000 in donated items to Trinity Rescue Mission of Jacksonville, Fla. A spokesperson there said that organization deals largely with the homeless and not specifically with cancer patients. She said she had no record of ever receiving any donations from Cancer Fund of America, although she said the items could have come through another organization. Reynolds failed to respond when asked specifically about the rescue mission donation.


Federal records report that Cancer Fund of America received about $8.8 million in cash contributions in 2007. Slightly more than $8 million of that went to fundraising

expenses, including more than $3 million in professional service compensation to Associated Community Services of Southfield, Mich. In August 2008, the Missouri attorney general’s office announced it had settled a lawsuit with Associated Community Services.


Also, Federal records show Cancer Fund of America Support Services, Inc. received slightly less than $8.2 million in cash donations in 2007. That organization’s only outgoing grant was for $750,000 – to Cancer Fund of America. The report says its fundraising expenses totaled about $6.1 million. James T. Reynolds Jr., a son of James T. Reynolds Sr., is listed as president of the support group.









Rose Perkins, who formerly worked with her husband, Reynolds Sr., at Cancer Fund of America, left that organization several years ago and currently heads Children’s Cancer Fund of America of Powell, Tenn. Records show that Children’s Cancer Fund of America received about $5.4 million in cash donations and $2.2 million in non-cash donations in 2007. She reported direct cash to patients donations at about $382,000, or about 7 cents of every $1.00 raised. Fundraising expenses were reported at nearly $6.3 million, with $3.4 million going to Associated Community Services.


Children’s Cancer Fund of America, Cancer Fund of America and Cancer Fund of America Support Services are all considered national charities by the BBB. All three failed to provide information to determine if they meet the BBB’s charitable “Standards of Accountability.” Recent news accounts say that James T. Reynolds Jr. recently became head of yet another cancer organization, this one in Mesa, Ariz., and called The Breast Cancer Society. That charity has not operated long enough to file a federal report with the IRS.

How did they get your #?
Are you on a Do Not call List?

So you think 7 cents of every dollar one gives is a GOOD return?

We get calls 2-3 times a day and they do not say anything or disconnect. Just sounds like I'm on mute or on hold. Never hear any sounds on their end.

call 865 938 5281 and ask them to stop.  Got that from their car donation group.