Dear All, I budget $9/month ($1 bills that I have go into my pushke/charity bank) for charity, & every otehr month I give CHAI ($18 spelled out in Hebrew letters) to a favorite charity.  Generally, it's Smile Train or Heifer International.  Twice I gave to Jewish organizations (not major ones).  Now I get calls once or twice a week with charity reps pleaaadign with me to feed starving Jewish children, or at least to fund holiday celebrations.  I keep telling them that I have my charity budgeted already.  One of the 2 Jewish organizations that I gave to is in NY & is required by law to have an audited financial statement for inspection.  I donated because I had made a phone pledge, but I asked for the statement.  No statement.  SO, every time that THEY call (frequent!), I dress them down.  My Darllling brother says that I should just say, No, & hang up the  phone.  How do you handle these situations?  Yours in Him, Deb

i worked as a telemarketer for several years.   just say "sorry , not interested, take me off your list". then just hang up.  they are required to take you off list.  although sometimes it takes a month or two.   

To be nice, you could always say "I am no longer able to pledge due to financial reasons. Please take my number off your list." Wait for them to confirm that they do. Hang up. Write down when you state that you want them to stop calling. They have 3 times before you can sue them for harassment. (I believe it's that amount). Even if you have done business with them, once you state that you want your number off, they have to honor that.

I've used both statements... and having worked as a fundraiser in college, I know what it takes to get people off the list; the university called anyone who had ever given money - including the man I called who had give $4, $1/school year, as a comment on his opinion of his education.  The phrase I've had the most success with is "I don't give money to phone solicitors because I don't know for sure who's calling, take me off your list".  Then I hang up.  I've only gotten a return call once, and that was before the advent of the do not call list, which also mandates that once you've been asked to be removed, they have to remove you.  Just remember, it's not the fault of the caller; s/he is just an employee.  I've had better luck with polite responses such as the ones in this thread than friends of mine have had with rude responses; the employees don't listen to what rude people say, and I can't blame them.

Thank you so much to both Karens (Karen Kay & Karenteacher) & to you, Luvd_Lioness, for your fine advice.  I'm going to say "Take me off your list" from now on.  I didn't even know that that was an option!  Love in Him, Deb

Deb, is your phone number on the National Do Not Call list? If not, here's where you can go for free:

www.donotcall.gov

Then, if telemarketers continue to call, you can inform them that your number is on the National Do Not Call list. If they continue to call, you can go back to that website and notify the Federal Trade Commission about their harassment. I believe your number must be on the Do Not Call list for 31 days before you are eligible to complain, though. (That gives the telemarketers time to get your do not call info.)

Unfortunately, I have had to report a company to the FTC. They stopped calling immediately.

if the caller is rude or just keeps on talking after you've asked to be taken off list.  tell them you want to speak to their supervisor and they must get them.  if they say they dont have a supervisor. just hang up . the supervisor is required to fill out a paper and take action to get your name on DO NOT CALL LIST pronto.  if you dont speak to a supervisor, it may take a month or two.

i forgot to put in my last note,  that if they keep calling you after you are on DO NOT CALL LIST,  you report them and they can be fined up to 10,000 dollars per illegal call.  so i dont think they want that.

Deb, As other posters have mentioned the key phrase is "put my name on your DO NOT CALL List". I did a college internship with the NYS Attorney General's Office and if they fail to comply they can be investigated and fined.

FYI -- The Do Not Call Registry does NOT cover charity calls.

 I say "Because I receive X# of charity organization calls a day, I no longer give to any organization that contacts me by phone or email."