Is there a way to stop the phone solicitors and mail requests for donations that happen everyday?

My Dad is going to have a field day with the upcoming Presidential election. The previous renter, where my Dad is living, is of a different political party according to the mail that goes into my Dad's mailbox. And Dad really dislikes one of their candidates, big time !!

In fact, Dad wanted to vote in the recent State primary to cast his vote for someone else to block out another voter who did vote for that candidate. I've never seen Dad so into a Presidential election as this one.

Cpegaso, I like that idea - but I'll use it instead with charities and political outfits that include a SASE. I used to fill them with other junk mail and return them but now I'll send them back asking for money for me.

Here's something to try my wife did after getting tired of all these calls from charities. When one particular pushy organization called and was relentless, my wife began harping about financial help due to medical problems, financial overload, etc. When she said we were up for the option for any donations, they hung up. No check ever came and they didn't call back, HUH?

With caller I.D. we finally, after trying everything, just do not answer, ever.
But then, if your Mom answers, can you get her a cell phone, unplug the landline or put it on silent in your locked room?
It is a real challenge to monitor and protect someone in your own home when they don't or are unable to cooperate. A short visit to h*ll might be easier. The creative ways that a mind that doesn't work right can come up with are mind boggling.

FF, either don't answer, or pretend you don't speak English and keep repeating something, perhaps in some made up language. Jude had a great retort; I'll see if I can find it.

These telemarketers are trained to respond to pleas of poverty; they're like tanks, they just keep rolling right over any responses.

Other things people have done: talk like a baby and just keep gurgling and making baby noises, blow whistles, make strange noises, blow a boat horn, and my favorite, which I have yet to do, is play a submarine diving sound...loud, very loudly. But keep your ear protectors by the phone.

Sometime I just pick up the phone and put it on hold and leave it for a while, then eventually hang up.

You're too nice; I'm never polite to telemarketers!

So tired of the daily asking-for-money from charities. Yes, I am on the do-not-call list but political party and charities are allowed to do calling. We usually answer, otherwise the caller tries again tomorrow, then the next day, etc.

Usually I will give a stock answer of "I am a senior citizen on limited income, sorry I cannot help".... sure enough the next reply by the caller is "I understand that, we do have pledge cards for $15, can I count on you for that amount?". I want so much to say "what part of limited income don't you understand?" but I am too polite :P

Wish there was something that could be done about that, that when a person says they are on limited income, that the caller stops the call, says have a nice day, and hangs up. I can see how some senior can get roped into giving, and giving, and giving.

I have not tried this, but I hear they work. You have to turn on caller ID. But if you save her money by paying for caller ID then it is worth it.

amazon/Incoming-Call-Blocker-Display-Blacklist/dp/B0089IHBE8

The number referred to by someone here is an "Opt out" number - doesn't work. And no, there is no way to stop the phone calls or mail, especially political mail - especially in California where there are actual laws that protect it. I have however, found a solution, but it might not work for everyone. First off, I obtained Power of Attorney and took control of all of mother's assets - the bank would no longer honor mother's requests to transfer funds or close/open accounts without my signature. I finally got her checkbook away from her, went through everything and got all checks and put them in my (locked) room. Then I got a locking mail box and put it right above the mail slot where the mail was being delivered. I taped that one shut so the only option the mail carrier had was to put it in the lock box. I didn't even need to file an application or notification with the City or the Post Office whereas if I would have changed the delivery to say the side gate, I would have had to get everyone's permission. I wrote to a coupe of these political orgs and accused them of preying on the elderly and asked for all the money back that mother had donated. I actually received a little over $2,000 from a place called FRS or something. All the others remained silent and kept sending mail. I tried to get some interest going with the L.A. Times newspaper, any TV channel that would listen and on the Internet - all to no avail. I'm still mad as hell about this shameful practice but I guess where there is "free money" there will always be shysters and swindlers who take advantage of people by making them believe they're really helping. They write these letters like they're your best and only friend and "In the Know - just you and I" type thing, make the reader believe they're doing a good thing when all they are doing by sending a check is lining some guy's pocket with their hard-earned money and setting themselves up to receive a mountain of mail. I think my next move will be to write to Erin Brokovich and see if she has any ideas on what to do about this less than honest business practice.

This is from Aging Care: just signed up both me and my mom tonight!


https://www.agingcare.com/articles/stop-junk-mail-174488.htm?cpage=0&post=1&cm=425592&z=1#425592

Popping onto this thread again -- for the donation solications that come in the mail, read the fine print on the back, and see if there's a toll free number for the company the charity uses to make cold calls. Call them directly and ask to be removed from their database/added to their do-not-call list. The website I gave earlier was for one company, but there are others, so look through the mailings you get. It's early yet, but I think I'm making a dent in the phone calls and mailings. Good luck!

BTW, freqflyer, thanks for the tip about links. I'll bear that in mind while combing through these threads.
DH and I are caring for my sweet mother with vascular dementia, his sweet father with undiagnosed but obviously progressing Alzheimer's and his sweet mother with intact cognitive function but severe heart failure. All in their early 90s.
Let's just say that I can use all the help and information I can get!

Well that's unfortunate, FreqFlyer. :( The way to get to there is to add the dot com between the word fundraising and the back slash.

StarSong, please note that Aging Care doesn't allow complete website links :(

looloo, you were on the right track, but the website address you gave is incomplete. This is the correct link. strategicfundraising/dnc.asp.

Thank you for pointing me in the right direction. :)

This is an old post, but I found some info that I'm hoping will help. For a while now, I've been trying to stem the flood of cold calls to my mother for donations, and this is a company that does fund raising on behalf of many organizations. Their number is 651-649-0404, and they'll take the number off their database if you ask. There's also a Do Not Call page on their website - strategicfundraising/dnc.asp. I did both and am keeping my fingers crossed that most of the calls will stop.

With the mail issue, When they ask for money, they will alway enclose an envelope. Simiply return this with a note to remove from the mailing list or you can always get the point accross by tearing up their letter and then return it in their envelope. My father in law did this and the unwanted mail quit coming.

Disconnect the door bell!! Use call forwarding for incoming phone calls. perhaps mom would enjoy going to the senior center during the day, instead of being at home to answer the door!! all of my comments are just suggestions but you may find it solves the problem. I truly believe our elders still need a purpose and if they feel they can contribute physically they try to contribute financially and are taking advantage of by unscrupulous people

Candy, ditto on the credit card cancellation. My mom got in so much trouble she was spending all her time returning items. She keeps enough cash to buy day-to-day items plus a checkbook for larger items. If she wants to purchase something online she calls me, we talk it over and I look at it online, then I put it on my credit card. She sends me a check for the amount. It keeps her busy with her checkbook (which I actually keep balanced) and gives her an excuse to call and chat, plus I keep up with the invoice and everything.
As for solicitors, she has so few new people in her life, I try to get her to check the incoming phone number and not answer it if she doesn't know who it is. I tell her she can listen to the message (if they leave one) and she can call them back if she wants to. The door is something else - scary - and she insists on answering it. I feel like putting a sign on the door that says, "warning, communicable disease!" - or "QUARANTINE", but I guess that's a step too far.

I have to block calls all the time which is especially bad right now with an election year looming. But when the caller ID says 'out of area' or 'unknown caller', those I can't block. Got to have an actual phone number. Put up a 'no soliciting' sign on your mother's door too. We have one, and it works most of the time. I swear there are people that come to the door that have no idea of what the word 'soliciting' means. Geez...

Candy, the "do not call" registry is set up to prevent telemarketers. BUT charitable and political organizations are exempt from the rules! Still, you can go to the website and enter your Mom's phone. Ditto on the direct marketing association for unwanted mail. When My Mom was getting so much stuff, I began a personal campaign and sent each solicitor a letter asking to be removed from the mailing list and added to their "do not sell/share list".

If you aren't feeling uncomfortable with this idea, you might return to sender any solicitations and mark the outside of the envelope deceased or moved left no forwarding address.

Finally, you may want to reevaluate the credit card in your Mom's name. It sounds to me like an accident waiting to happen. Does she really need one or use it legitimately? If not, I would cancel the card. (Then she can give it to whatever solicitors call with out it hurting her!)

Candy - there is a number you can call to stop the solicitors - unfortunately, I can't put my hands on it. My mother in law had cut the number out of a newspaper and put it aside. I put it somewhere and forget where I put it!!! It is actually a number I had called before and the solicitor calls stopped coming to my home. It will turn up - I know I will find it when I am organizing and I will post it on here.