I am so angry at the companies who call our houses, we get up, walk in to answer the phone and they hang up. I am guessing that is a computer checking to see if we are home so the human can call back the next night. I was laying down, using my Ventilator and on oxygen, thanks to all the California fires.

It was the California PAL. I finally had a number. I emailed them to leave me alone, I would not give them a dime.

I am trying to figure out where to start filing complaints. Who is the PAL that they think it is ok to pester people?

I will contact the Calif. Attorney General tomorrow, maybe they know the best place to call to see if we can't do something about it. Or maybe the PAL is not legally supposed to just call the next number on the list. I am astounded these people think harassing someone is going to get them a donation. Especially when the kids in PAL get less than half the money collected. Here is their ratings compared to real charities:

Charity Name Overall Score
California Police Activities League - CA 25.31
National 4-H Council - MD 62.55
Boy Scouts of America, Central Florida Council - FL 68.62
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale - AZ 60.60

Do any of you know of a place we can call to be completely removed from all junk calls?

Or is it legal for a company to use a computer to dial every number in the USA?

For better or worse, the "Do Not Call" list does not apply to charities, political parties, or businesses you've worked with or bought something from in the past. The combination of "Do Not Call" and an unlisted number seems to help the most..

I had a woman get rude with me because I wouldn't donate money to help families of soldiers serving overseas. She really laid the guilt trip on me because I've given money to them before. When I told her I'm sorry but I have no money to give, she got nasty and accused me of not caring about our soldiers or the heartache their loved ones have to endure.

I finally said "Excuse me, but my only child is currently serving overseas. Is this guilt trip an example of the help you are providing to us family members?"

She no longer calls me, but her organization still does - just to check to see if I've run into some money lately.

It really sucks to have to deal with people like this, especially when you're in the middle of dealing with some serious GI problems. I don't have a phone in my bathroom, and I don't want to miss a possible call from my son. Even if I did, I wouldn't want to have to talk on the phone when I'm in the bathroom. Turning off my phone is not an option, though I admit to doing it sometimes. My son knows to email me if he needs me - would like to hear his voice though

We had the PVA (Paralyzed Veteran's of America) call a couple of times. We are members. I politely told them I already donate and that they are calling a disabled member. They apologized and haven't called back, they just send envelopes now.

You are all correct. God help you if you make the mistake of donating anywhere, anytime for any reason.

Computers have created an "out of control" world for greedy charities. The California PAL has a rating of about 28% for efficiency. I think that means 28% of the donated money really gets to the "kids". Frankly, to hell with them.

We tithe at our church and my wife says that is probably wrong.

When Jesus said (paraphrasing here, my memory is so bad I can't even remember what I talked about an hour ago unless you remind me) "Render until Caesar what is Caesar's" or something like that. I interpret that to say, the government is entitled to its share. You are welcome to say it better than I. My wife said the government in 30A.D. did not take care of the people like the gov't does today. Therefore, why donate 10% to the church? If Jesus were alive today, he might say to give 3% to the church because of the government give-away programs. We still give approximately 10% to a couple of churches.

My fury is how invasive these monsters are. I don't give to any charity except these churches. Used to we could put up a "No Solicitation" sign on your front door and usually not be bothered. How do we do that for our phones?

Some of these charities simply call every number in the area code with a computer (so I am told) and if you answer, the computer hangs up. They KNOW when you are home now.
VERY, VERY, VERY RUDE. This is what set me off last night.

IF A PERSON IS DISABLED, THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP IN AND MAKE IT ILLEGAL FOR ANY CHARITY TO CALL THEM.

Making matters worse for us is the idiots in Sacramento, CA have our house in two districts for congress. So dan lungren and Doolittle's people would call. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
and the democrats started calling because they figured out I am a registered republican, but I DO vote for some democrats. If I were a registered independent, I guess even Al Gore would call me.

Yeah, I am venting, but it is an honest frustration.

Didn't the phone companies offer a deal where you can have a special number or symbol people would have to use in your phone number, otherwise the call did not go through?
It (of course) costs us money. Any of you know about that? Did it work?

Yeah, always interpreted that to mean "Follow the rules of society and pay your taxes" too. There weren't any Christian churches back in his time, so it seemed strange we'd have to pay God through people in churches. I always wondered why God would need money anyway - thought he had a pretty good job.

I get nervous with churches getting into the charity business. Missionary types are just as irritating to me. The only difference is I have to get out of bed to answer the door - regardless of how I am dressed or how I look. I have to - in case it's an emergency with my neighbor next door.

They justify their intrusive behavior by saying they only want to introduce me to Jesus, especially when they see I'm in a pitiful state. Once again, unwilling to help myself. I can just imagine how intrusive they would be if they were also compelled to go door-to-door raising money for Jesus.

Personally, I find the No Call list a joke and worthless - I just recieved another solicitation call. They don't stop. I have had the same companies calling for years, long before there was a no call list.

The no call list does not stop them even though I report every single call, every single time. It has slowed them down - instead of a few times a week it's about once a month...woohoo

These calls have NOTHING to do with charity, politics nor have I done buisness with them and I never will. I have been nice, rude, sarcastic and just plain mean but the calls keep coming.

i haven't checkd into this, but we got a solicitation at our business from a telemarketing company not based in the usa. they were trying to get us to sign up for their service.

their brochure stated that they didn't have to follow the do not call guidlines, since they are not governed by the usa.

this could be why calls that are not a non profit are still getting through.

btw...we didn't sign up. we don't make cold calls or phone solicate.

we've had an unlisted number for years , so we don't get many of these calls at all.
but I did sign up on the "do not call list" as swell as signing up my parents - as they were getting many calls of all sorts.

They say it has slowed down a lot, so far.

How many of you give out your phone number to stores when they ask for it??
Don't do it!!
say it's unlisted or just say no thanks!

that is one way your number gets "out there"
I don't give my real zip code if they ask for that either
none of their business

Didn't AT&T or someone offer a deal where you pick a few numbers, say " 3 6 1" and anyone dialing in had to dial those 3 digits, or 5 digits or......you get the idea.......if the caller did not know those digits, the call would not go through.

Of course it cost another $$$ a month. The cheap way out is to let your answering machine take the call. PROBLEM IS, A LOT OF DOCTORS USE "Private Caller" and ...... I guess they get to leave a number or if you hear them, grab the phone.