888-276-2971

JAMES, you are a [***] who works for these scam artist.

got this call at 9 pm. thought it was suspicious for an 888 number to call this late !

We get this call most every day, but we are not familar with this number,and no one leaves a message.We are quite annoyed by this.

This is false because I've recieved numerous pre-recorded messages.

Dear Thomas: If you are so legit--why do you mask your phone number?? Shpuld you not be proud of your organization and post it up on caller id ?? I also believe you to be a scam--an actual telemarketer hiding behind the guise of a charity in order to bipass the do not call list.
What EXACTLY is the name of your company or organization--I'll bet you don't answer thus making you a SCAM--sue me if you want!!!!!!

janey----in your post you--youreself refer to them as a telemarketer--which is what they are. They are a "for profit" telemarketer posing as a charity so as to evade the No call list(which dosent work anyway) You state that they have the ability it call at unflattering time so we need to be polite to them !!!  What a joke!! You have the worst attitude of all--why don't you go to some socialist country. If I am being treated rudely--I'll teach you words your father didn't even know. When you start paying for my phone service--is when I start being nice to scum telemarketers--if you don't like it--don't call. Good bye !!!

Gee - you would not happen to be one of the scammers running the organization would you?
LOL - The more you protest, the worse it looks...

THOMAS = JIM I think... Same all caps typing style and ignorance of the facts that are clear online...
The org is a scam...
Gee - you would not happen to be one of the scammers running the organization would you?
LOL - The more you protest, the worse it looks...

Thomas = Jim = James
Silly man...
Gee - you would not happen to be one of the scammers running the organization would you?
LOL - The more you protest, the worse it looks...

They called, didn't leave message, several times. Answered one call, asked to be removed from their calling list, and was hung up on before I finished my sentence. According to their website, "its number one priority is patient care." Tracked them down through Washington State Secretary of State. They are registered, but for fiscal year 2007, used only 39% of income on charitable services - patient care doesn't seem very priority. Technically a charity, but others use MUCH larger percentages for the actual recipients. DONATE TO YOUR LOCAL HOSPICE (instead of this Delaware corporation with a Tennessee address), the money will be put to use more efficiently and locally! ALSO, report them to the FTC if they don't stop calling if you request it - THEY are breaking the LAW! You have the RIGHT to be removed from any company's calling lists, whether charity or not.

I have beengetting the same calls.  No Identification with caller ID and no messgaes left.  If no messages are left, consider it a scam.  Report them to your state's attorney general.

That's true, but in this case live people are hanging up after the connection is made. If you ask them who they're calling for, they hang up. If start to ask them to put you on their do not call list, they hang up.

Must be on some sort of list. Received this call at 4:48 and another solicter call from Kantar Ops at 5:32.

Jim,
Bull-oney!  The Cancer Fund of America is a telemarketer and their main objective is making money for themselves.  They harrass people they call and refuse to abide by the federal Do Not Call law.  Since they refuse to obey a federal mandate and keep on calling who is it again that has no recourse?

Jim, do you work at Cancer Fund?

STOP CALLING!!!!!

Actually, the federal Do Not Call list does not apply to "charities", and of course these solicitors get to decide if they are a charity, so it is a rather annoying gap in the law.

I get calls all day from this number but no one ever answers...very rude

This organization does not have the best track record            Evaluation Conclusions                       

Cancer Fund of America (CFA) does not meet the following 7 Standards for Charity Accountability:     

Standard 8 : Program Service Expense Ratio - Spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities.

   * CFA does not meet this Standard because according to the organization's audited, consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2005, the organization spent $7,755,278 or 34% of its total expenses ($22,837,610) on program service activities.


Standard 9 : Fund Raising Expense Ratio - Spend should be no more than 35% of related contributions on fund raising. Related contributions include donations, legacies, and other gifts received as a result of fund raising efforts.

CFA does not meet this Standard because:

   * CFA does not meet this Standard because according to its audited, consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2005, the organization's fund raising costs were 64% ($14,040,224) of related contributions which totaled $21,914,630.


Standard 12 : Detailed Functional Breakdown of Expenses - Include in the financial statements a breakdown of expenses (e.g., salaries, travel, postage, etc.) that shows what portion of these expenses was allocated to program, fund raising, and administrative activities. If the charity has more than one major program category, the schedule should provide a breakdown for each category.

   * CFA does not meet this Standard because its audited financial statements do not include a functional breakdown for each major program (i.e. patient services, community services, and public health education).


Standard 17 : Web Site Disclosures - Include on any charity websites that solicit contributions, the same information that is recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990.

   * CFA does not meet this Standard because its website, www.cfoa.org, does not include all of the recommended information for those charity websites that solicit for donations. Specifically, it does not include a board roster or financial information. The website also does not provide electronic access to the organization’s most recent IRS Form 990.


Standard 18 : Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy - Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.

   * CFA does not meet provision (b) of this Standard because its website, www.cfoa.org does not provide access to a privacy policy with the recommended information.

   The Alliance is currently unable to verify if CFA meets the remaining provision of this Standard.


Standard 19 : Cause Related Marketing - Clearly disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services (i.e., cause-related marketing) that state or imply that a charity will benefit from a consumer sale or transaction. Such promotions should disclose, at the point of solicitation: (a) the actual or anticipated portion of the purchase price that will benefit the charity (e.g., 5 cents will be contributed to abc charity for every xyz company product sold), (b) the duration of the campaign (e.g., the month of October), (c) any maximum or guaranteed minimum contribution amount (e.g., up to a maximum of $200,000).

   * CFA does not meet this Standard because, in the past year, the organization participated in promotions for the sale of consumer goods and services that indicate the organization will benefit from these purchases.  The promotions, however, do not specify the actual or anticipated amount of the purchase price that will benefit the organization.


Standard 20 : Complaints - Respond promptly to and act on complaints brought to its attention by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and/or local Better Business Bureaus about fund raising practices, privacy policy violations and/or other issues.

   * CFA does not meet this Standard because in the last 36 months, the BBB processed 9 complaints and only 4 were addressed.



In addition, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information on the organization’s governance and oversight, effectiveness measures, finances, solicitation materials, and annual report and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following 10 Standards for Charity Accountability: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, and 16.     
Cancer Fund of America (CFA) meets the remaining 3 Standards for Charity Accountability.     
    



Programs                    

CFA provides gifts-in-kind (e.g., personal care items such as adult diapers, bed pads, and other personal hygiene items) to hospices, health care providers, and nonprofit community service organizations that aid the ill, needy and infants. The organization also distributes educational material via direct mail and volunteers. CFA's affiliate, Cancer Fund of America Support Services was formed in 2002 to support the mission of CFA. The charter of Cancer Fund of America Support Services entitles CFA to elect 75% of the directors of Cancer Fund of America Support Services. The 2005 audit report summarized below includes the consolidated finances of both organizations.

For the year ended December 31, 2005, CFA's program expenses were:     

    
Program services     7,755,278
Total Program Expenses:     $7,755,278



Governance                    

Chief Executive : James Reynolds, President
Compensation*:     $218,920     

Chair of the Board: Carol Cruze
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Not provided

Board Size: 7

Paid Staff Size: 18


*2005 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.     



Fund Raising                    

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, telemarketing, grant proposals, Internet appeals, and planned giving.
    
Fund raising costs were 64% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $21,914,630, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)     
CFA incurred joint costs for informational activities and materials that included fund raising materials. The Alliance is unable to determine the breakdown of fund raising, administrative and program expenses based on CFA's 2005 audit.     



Tax Status                    

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.     



Financial                    

The following information is based on CFA's audited financial statements (consolidated with Cancer Fund of America Support Services) for the year ended December 31, 2005:     

Source of Funds     
Telemarketing     13,144,522
Gifts in kind     3,684,359
Vehicle donation program     2,787,251
Direct mail     2,066,502
Foundation and trust grants     214,853
Mailing list rental     149,609
Gain on investment in life insurance     40,451
Other     26,779
Interest income     23,801
Miscellaneous     17,506
Bequests     17,143
Total Income     $22,172,776






Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Sounds like a scam.   As soon as I asked for her name she hung up on me.  I tried to call back (  caller ID   )   and the promps were wwwrong.
  no good.   I wish the Law could hang these [***].

unknown and bothersome call

876-428-4895

Could hardly understand the man. He asked for someone else originally, had my phone # but the wrong address. When he realized he had someone else, he started talking about helping out.... I said I don't do donations over the phone for charities. He then said he was not a charity - he was asking for the money for himself, saying he was poor and had lung cancer and could I please send him some money.

He called back twice - once with the above number, once more with "unknown caller." Calling back to the number got me someone singing in a foreign language with a bunch of noise in the background.