Unwanted phone calls from various charities

purplephoenix85

I'm constantly receiving phone calls from the likes of the RSPCA, RSPB, Cancer research, at least twice a week taking in turns, thanking me for my support and asking for a direct debit of £3/month and it's becoming a nuisance

It's not that I don't want to help. I would help if I could. I'm unemployed, in debt and a student at the moment and I've not had any money to spare since my redundancy.

I've tried the polite approach and explained that I don't have the money but they always call back within 3 weeks. I've even requested not to be called back... I'm beginning to wonder if it's a scam where the same group of people ring up pretending to be from different charities, as it's always the same accent.

I don't think I've subscribed to receive third party communications and my details aren't meant to be included in the edited electoral register. The phone book entry is in my mother's name, so that rules out the old-fashioned cold-calling from the phone book.

If they are people from the genuine charities, is there some way to get my name removed from their lists? As it doesn't seem to work if I ask directly over the phone.

TIA

Fergie76

If it's your land line they are phoning, join the TPS, which makes it illegal for them to contact you (if they are based in this country).

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html

£$&*"($£&(

If you already support any of these charities then the TPS can't do anything. The people phoning will be contracted by the charities to contact existing donors and request additional donations. There's two things to do - contact the charity and request it stops or existing donations will stop or stop them anyway and tell them why. Charities need to learn that hassling people is counter productive and will exert proper control of this fund raising method. It's fine to phone once a year but that's all.

texranger

Fergie76 wrote: »

If it's your land line they are phoning, join the TPS, which makes it illegal for them to contact you (if they are based in this country).

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html

joining the TPS will only work if the company is a member of the TPS, if they are not then they are not bound by their terms

BoGoF

Stop being polite, tell them if they bother you again you will look at other charities.

arcon5

texranger wrote: »

joining the TPS will only work if the company is a member of the TPS, if they are not then they are not bound by their terms

That's incorrect.

It is a legal obligations for companies not to call numbers registered with the them.

It's all explained here: http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/whatistps.html

Hope this helps.

MothballsWallet

Are charities still bound by TPS rules or are they one of the "special exemptions" like market research?

Tangible

Whoever they are or whoever thay claim to be, it's a big mistake ever to give your bank or card details to someone who calls you over the phone.

I doubt very much that it's the actual charities calling you.

arcon5

MothballsWallet wrote: »

Are charities still bound by TPS rules or are they one of the "special exemptions" like market research?

From what i'm aware, yes they are. They have to abide by the ruls in the same way a for-profit organisation would.

However, TPS have no powers and all breaches are reported to the information commissioner. It would possibly be worth searching to see if there has ever been enforcement against a company breaching this.

texranger

arcon5 wrote: »

That's incorrect.

It is a legal obligations for companies not to call numbers registered with the them.

It's all explained here: http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/whatistps.html

Hope this helps.

WRONG.

the MPS and TPS is a voluntary scheme where marketing companies can sign upto. if a marketting company is signed up to these then they must follow their procedured ets. but if a marketing company is not signed up to these schemes then they are not governed by them. i know for years now the governement has tried to make is compulsory for marketing companies to sign up to the MPS and TPS

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/faq.html#5


I have registered with TPS and have allowed 28 days for my registration to become fully effective. Why am I still receiving unsolicited sales and marketing phone calls?
We can't promise that registration with TPS will stop all unsolicited sales and marketing calls but it will certainly reduce them. If after 28 days you are still receiving this type of call to the telephone number you have registered with TPS, you can take advantage of our free complaint handling service. Please click on the 'complaint' option on the left hand side menu for further details.

shaun_from_Africa

the MPS and TPS is a voluntary scheme where marketing companies can sign upto.

The TPS is not voluntary.
From the link that you provided tex.

We are the Telephone Preference Service
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a free service. It is the official central opt out register on which you can record your preference not to receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls. It is a legal requirement that all organisations (including charities, voluntary organisations and political parties) do not make such calls to numbers registered on the TPS unless they have your consent to do so.

From the TPS corporate website.

Direct marketing telephone calls: it is unlawful for someone in business (including charities or other voluntary organisations) to make such a call to any Individual if that Individual has either told that business or organisation that he/she does not want to receive such calls or has registered with the Telephone Preference Service that they do not wish to receive such calls from any business or organisation

This is also confirmed by reading the relevant legislation that enforces this.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/2426/regulation/21/made

21.—(1) A person shall neither use, nor instigate the use of, a public electronic communications service for the purposes of making unsolicited calls for direct marketing purposes where—

(a)the called line is that of a subscriber who has previously notified the caller that such calls should not for the time being be made on that line; or

(b)the number allocated to a subscriber in respect of the called line is one listed in the register kept under regulation 26.