The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a good organization and like all good organizations needs donations. Because organizations like this are exempt from the National Do Not Call list they do not hesitate to call you. And call you. And call you again and again. They’ll even keep calling those that have already agreed to collect donations for them.
866-460-0286 is the ID number that appears when they call to solicit donations. A name never appears on the caller ID. Because the calls are computer generated there is a good chance that no one will be on the other end if you are slow in answering your phone.
Their normal contact number for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is: (800) 955-4572.
NOTE: If you would like to verify that you are on the National Do Not Call list call: 1-888-382-1222. You can file a complaint if an advertiser phones you 31 days after you have registered your phone number.
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While Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is probably a very worthwhile cause, they are extremely aggressive and, in my opinion, even deceptive in their fund-raising efforts. Almost every weekday since late February at least — that’s more than two months — LLS has called me from a variety of telephone numbers and names (as indicated on Caller ID), including:
“LEUK LYMPH SOC”
1-914-513-2848
“TOLLFREE NUMBER”
1-866-460-0286
“THANKYOUFRMLLS”
1-914-513-2848
Since the calls generally are made during the day, when I am at work, perhaps the organization is attempting to reach a spouse that I do not have, in the apparently widespread belief among telemarketers that stay-at-home wives are generally easier touches for such pitches. (Women of every stripe should be especially offended by this egregiously sexist practice.)
I finally happened to be home one day when one of these calls came in. When I answered, the person on the other end indeed identified himself as being from Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I instructed him in no uncertain terms to make sure that the organization never calls me again.
I should point out that I have not ever donated to LLS, nor have I ever ever provided my name or telephone number to the organization. Perhaps if I had been a past donor it might be understandable for them to call me, but this…!
The nuisance calls are just the beginning. I am the keeper of my mother’s financial affairs, as she is elderly and incapacitated. Not long ago, a letter addressed to her was forwarded to me. On the front of the envelop was this notice: “BENEFITS STATEMENT ENCLOSED.” I receive many such letters from legitimate insurance providers and processors. However, this letter contained not the expected statement of medical benefits but, instead, a pitch from LLS that listed the “benefits” of supporting the organization.
In this country non-profits enjoy protected status when it comes to advertising and, especially, telemarketing. I believe that Congress and the Supreme Courts should put an end to this protection, however, because it is often abused, as in this egregious example.