how can I complain abut charity callers?

[emms1981]

I have just had a lady phone me up telling me about guide dogs for the blind lottery. Telling me that people have to wait a year for a guide dog. I know I should have just put the phone down but she repeatedly kept asking me for money and "to get the ball rolling" I said I don't have any money, I only work 8 hours a week and she said oh ok well it only costs a pound a week. I said no I can look it up online then she said well we can get things set up but wont take any money right away. I'm feeling pissed off now. I told her I have been having lost of weird callers lately. I get about 3 a day on my landline and mobile.

Guide Dogs customer feedback and complaints form

Register with the Telephone Preference Service as marketing calls should be gradually filtered out as they are supposed to check their databases against entries on there. Tell callers to remove you from their database and no call again and they should do so. I don't think there is anyone you can complain to unless you suspect that they have got your number illegitimately.

Thank you. I know its a great cause but i don't like being asked for money I don't have.

I have my own script with these people now. It goes something like "take my number off your list, please. Goodbye."

I think they get commission from everyone they sign up that's why they are so pushy, regardless doesn't give them a right to harrass you, if you have a smart phone just block any numbers they call on, if it's private number then as soon as they speak just say no thank you and hang up.
I used to get this a lot with accident claims

And you don't even have to tell them you have no money - just tell anyone persistent that you don't do any business over the phone/at the door/on the street or however you've been collared.

If you get called and would prefer not to be called again, say very clearly that you no longer wish to receive any calls from them and ask tat they SUPPRESS your name on their database.

You should say that you do not give them permission to contact you in any way and that they must REMOVE all of your information from any databases they have.

You should also report ANY unwanted marketing/sales calls (and that includes charities) to the ICO (Information Commisionaires Office)
ONLINE FORM HERE
It takes a few minutes.

I had to complain to great ormond street because of similar calls. The company they were using were incredibly rude and just called, called and called. I ended up having to block the number.

I never answer numbers I don't recognise on my mobile. If it's important a msg will be left. Luckily I don't get caught out too often on the hone phone. Both are tps registered but that does little I'm afraid.

Sadly because of being harassed by charities by phone, post, at my door and in the street I very seldom donate.

I've just turned away a guy from the Red Cross who came to the door. I opened the door to him just as DH arrived with loads of stuff to bring in from the car. I said to the guy that we were too busy to talk to him right now and he said "don't worry, I'll wait". . I said that no, really we had to get all this stuff brought in, then we needed to have a quick discussion with each other. Still, "I can wait, it's no trouble". In the end I had to tell him politely to go away. He stood in the doorway the whole time while DH squeezed past him with his arms full. I thought at one point he was going to come in .

You should say that you do not give them permission to contact you in any way and that they must REMOVE all of your information from any databases they have.

No SUPPRESS is the right approach. If they remove your details, and then they get them again by buying in a database, they won't necessarily know that you've asked them not to contact you. If they suppress your details, they stay on their database, but you won't be contacted.

That's the theory anyway.

Until they decide to contact you anyway to ask you if you want to be contacted in future.

YANBU - these chuggers are a pain in the proverbial. I know they are doing it to earn a crust but the charities should not do it.

I had a red cross guy come to the door too and so politely declined explaining we have our own charity we rather contribute too. Was along time ago now but he went on to ask what and I explained the anaphylaxis campaign due to dd's life threatening peanut allergy. Which led him to start rambling about some bloke trying to murder his wife with nut allergy by spreading peanut butter over her door handles. Was shocked at his insensitivity and slightly panicked being conscious of DD being fairly young at the time and lingering near the doorway

Exactly MuminHants

If charities permanently remove you from their database, they won't know you don't want to be contacted and so you will inevitably pop up again on another list from somewhere else and they will contact you in all innocence.

All newly acquired data is washed through the "do not mail" file first to remove those recorded as such.

Some less scrupulous organisations may delight in agreeing to remove you because they know that only takes your name out of circulation for a short time. Suppress is much more effective.

I find that No thank you, bye followed by hanging up the phone or closing the door works very well.
Don't even engage

I find that No thank you, bye followed by hanging up the phone or closing the door works very well.

But that won't stop them from contacting you again - if you want to be removed from their call lists you need to make that clear to them.

I emailed a complaint after being spoken to really rudely by a chugger for RNIB. The response was very sincere and apologetic, hopefully it might make a difference.

Polite, specific complaints direct to the charity concerned WILL make a difference.

We had an experience similar to Carabos's of someone insisting on waiting when I told them we were really too busy to talk (child constantly throwing up). I ended up saying "Fine, wait if you must, but I'm closing this door now and it'll be an extremely long wait." Strangely enough, his willingness to wait evaporated almost immediately.

Mrs DeVere I'm so sorry, that's horrible.

I've found the Telephone Preference Service makes no difference, they ignore it. I replied to a tv advert for a Christmas appeal by the Sally Army a few years back, I'd just been made redundant, lot of money worries, but thought yes, that's a really good cause, I can manage what they're saying on tv which is just £12 (or something like that.) Someone rang back a few minutes later and just went in for the hard sell - most people in my area were donating £30, couldn't I consider more, I could afford a direct debit for a monthly donation it's only a small amount isn't it..... I told the guy to remove my information from their database and hung up. I've never responded to one of these 'text whatever and donate £2' since because it isn't £2 like they say, it's just the open door to start manipulating you. I find this so sad because it murders good will towards these causes.

The only thing that works is to hang up as soon as I realise it's a sales or chugging call, no engagement, nothing. And I've stopped answering the door if I can see a sales person or charity heading door to door. Most of them will swear the 'no cold callers' sign on the door doesn't apply to them if you engage to point it out.

The charity I do have a monthly donation to I chose (Operation Smile), and love them, amazing cause and they have never hassled me once in 10 years for more money.