First of all, ARE YOU SURE you got the name right?
Texas State Troopers Association????
That is very important. There are at least two private organizations which use the phrase, "Public Safety" in their name. As for "Trooper" organizations, one calls itself "Texas Troopers Lodge," and others include "State Trooper Associates" and "American Association of State Troopers."
SO -- the NAME might not be Texas State Troopers, at all. One of these other organizations, hoping to keep you from knowing exactly who they are, could say something about "Texas State Troopers" a lot in their pitch, without that outfit being involved, at all.
Here is what The Texas State Troopers Association web site says:
"If you have a complaint, please send an email to TSTA's Executive Director Claude Hart at
[email protected]. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint. Please provide as much detail as possible. You have our word that your personal information will not be sold, rented, given away, or used for any purpose other than to investigate your complaint. To investigate your complaint, we ask that you provide us with your telephone number, your address, the name of the telephone service customer in your household, the date or dates you were contacted, any data appearing on your Caller ID, and any other details you can provide. We often discover that the offensive solicitation was made by or on behalf of another organization with a similar name --"
The BBB says this:
"This organization is tax-exempt as a police or fire labor union under section 501(c)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is not eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes." The organization's own Web site says something similar.
There's a very good reason to be sure you have the right information. If they're not complying with the law, you can sue them. I've collected a lot of money from telemarketers who ignored (or were ignorant of) the law. You can, too . . . . if you have the right name of the right outfit.