For weeks now, we have been getting calls DAILY - sometimes up to 3 times a day - from "Share Group Inc." We are on the No Call List and have caller ID so I don't usually answer when they call. But still, annoying to have your phone ringing multiple times a day from some kind of telemarketer, right?
Last night, I was fed up and ready to tell someone off. So I answered the phone only to hear an automated message tell me something to the effect of: "There is a call for you. Please wait on the line for our next representative." I hung up.
I did some online research today and discovered that Share Group Inc. is a marketing/fundraising group that makes fundraising calls for all sorts of organizations. Just by typing in the phone number from our caller ID, I found many posts on various sites by people who have been getting calls as often as we have. Apparently, a few years ago, calling back to the number would lead to an automated message with an option to opt out of the calls. So I tried that, but no such luck. Now you just get to leave a message so someone can... call you back... AGAIN!
I don't really understand all the details of the No Call List, but apparently somehow Share Group Inc. is exempt from the No Call rules. I get the impression that agencies that otherwise wouldn't be able to call me because of the List can hire Share Group to call me instead. Nice.
I think I'm probably in the majority here - hounding me multiple times a day does not make me more receptive to a fundraising pitch when I do finally get fed up enough to answer my phone and then wait for someone to be available to talk to me. I wish I could just call the police or something. As it is, I might get my whistle ready for the next phone call.
My mom did the whistle trick. We have the SAME thing since we moved. I don't answer the phone anymore. I tried the, "Excuse me, what is your name? What is your home phone number? Why? So I can call you 5 times a day at home like your company is doing to me." It worked with one company, but not the incessant one that sounds like your Share Group. GRRR!!!!
ReplyDeleteI´m getting daily calls from these people. Found this link, http://whocalled.us/lookup/sharegroup,
ReplyDeletehope its not unsafe, they knew my ISN?
I must get half a dozen calls a day from this company. You'd think that after months and months of my not answering their calls they'd give up and stop calling me, but nooooooooooooooo, the calls persist, day in, day out. I wish there was some way to put a stop to them. I also get about half a dozen calls per day from "Anonymous Caller", someone who is blocking their number, and all I can assume is that it's another policial fundraiser hoping that by not seeing who it is, I'll pick up the phone and answer, but I never answer anonymous calls. That's WHY I have caller ID in the first place, as a way to screen my incoming calls. DUH!
ReplyDeleteThe best method I have found for these callers is to answer with my speaker phone and not say a word, just go about my business until they hang up.
ReplyDeleteThis ties up their precious phone time for at least a minute and costs them money. And I admit to smiling as they say "Hello, hello, hello - is anyone there?"
I have always had success after a few times of answering in this manner. Hope it helps someone else in dealing with these annoying callers!
Share Group, Inc.
ReplyDeleteMailing Address:
73 Chapel Street
NEWTON MA 02458 Street Address:
73 Chapel Street
NEWTON MA 02458
Registration #250
Registration Status Not Registered
Other Names Used
Phone (617)629-4500
Fax (617)629-4510
Email bteasdale@sharegroup.com
Web Site www.sharegroup.com
Federal EIN 04-3286332
The following financial information has been provided to the Office of the Secretary of State by the above-named organization. Figures are for the organization's fiscal year ending Dec 31, 2009.
Contributions $11,315,381 According to the financial information shown at left, 28% of the contributions raised by this organization were returned to or retained by the charity client(s).
Amount to Charity Clients $3,192,662
Some Commercial Fundraisers are not required to submit financial information. If the financial report displayed contains zeros or outdated information, it is possible that the organization is newly registered. Please contact the Charities Program for more specific information.
Commercial Fundraiser's Comments Regarding Solicitation Report
Commercial Fundraiser's Solicitation Comments
Charities Who Have Retained the Services of the Commercial Fundraiser
Gay Men's Health Crisis, Inc.
KCTS Television
http://www.gmhc.org/
ReplyDeletehttp://kcts9.org/