Also got a call from 215.240.7263 - no message. I looked it up - It is an unlisted - land line number from Phila, PA. I assume not someone who knows me.
Live fundraising solicitation call (215) 240-7263 recorded 22 December 2013 ("Jasmine Cohen paid by Community Service Publishers" for fundraising for Multiple Sclerosis Association of America)
Caller ID: "Philadelphia PA"
This was a live donation solicitation call on behalf of the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. I never contributed to them in the past and I immediately decided that I wouldn't support this charity since the caller introduced herself as being "...paid by the Community Service Publishers..." (later on she mentions working for "Heritage Company" which I believe really means most of any donation would go to the fund raiser, not the charity. She wasn't a good reader, I wish I had a dime for each time she said "uh" and at one point, she started to read her own caller prompts in addition to the text she was supposed to read to me.
Following is a transcript of this live fundraising solicitation call:
[me] Hello?
[they] Hello?
[me] Hello?
[they] Is this John?
[me] Yes.
[they] Hello John, this is Jasmine Cohen and I'm paid with Community Service Publishers uh to call throughout Pennsylvania to thank you for your support on behalf of Multiple Sclerosis Association of the America. Wanted to let you know that because of your positive support this association celebrating 40 years of providing for programs and services for the families and victims of MS free of charge and haven't turned anyone away. And if you remember it MS can strike with no warning so basically you can be fine one day and not be able to get out of bed the next. So MSAA wants to help these victims have more interest in their life. [unintelligible] it easy for you to make a difference. Uh we show the same support levels uh "Conquerer of the Crippler" at $50. "Gift of Hope" at $35 and "Fight for the Future" is twenty five. Um keep in mind there are about 200 people diagnosed each week with this disease and the help that MS provides can be the difference for your mother or father and being homebound or able to take care of their family. Let's count on you this year for the "Conquerer of the Crippler" or the "Gift of Hope" or would the "Fight for the Future" be best for you?
[me] How much of my gift actually goes to helping the Multiple Sclerosis?
[they] um (pause)
[me] Are you a fundraiser? Are you the Multiple Sclerosis Society or are you a fundraiser?
[they] I'm a fundraiser with the uh Heritage Company. Uh, the way it works, MSAA will pay our company $28 to do the calling so whether I raise $100 or $1000 an hour, it will only cost MSAA um $28 for that hour of the fundraising um that will pay for the phone calls, the pledge cards and the mailings, um everything we do to the ray, to raise support, the um, you make check, you make your check payable to MSAA and send it to them uh transitions (pause)
[me] Oh, I could just get in touch directly with MSA and send them a check directly and then they would get 100% of what I donate.
[they] um no, no we still get our money out of it. (pause) Hello?
[me] Thank you for calling.
[[me] All right, thank you (voices in background)
Thanks to Google Voice ( www.google.com/voice ) you can hear this recorded call on my Spam Calls web page: