z One of the most aggressive telemarketing boiler room operations in the state has hit the skids. The Indiana Troopers Association has declared bankruptcy and asked for protection.
The WTHR story (sorry, no link at this time on their website – a story was presented on the 6 o’clock broadcast) reports they took in close to $3 million dollars and a miniscule $260,000 of that actually found its way to needy organizations.
Yep, another of those ‘charitable’ or ‘not for profit’ organizations which only exists to enrich its highly-compensated executive committee.
There are claims and counter-claims of nonpayment for services rendered between the association and the telemarketing firm it hired… in West Virginia. Which ever is true, or even if neither is true, that still only amounts to under $200,000 in disputed funds.
At least they are finally uncloaked. These jerkoffs are relentless. I have told them more times than I can count to stop calling me. I have reported them 2 or 3 times to the Indiana AG’s office, too. Still they would continue to call.
From the Indy Star in Sept 2005:
A federal judge has ruled in favor of the state in a 3-year-old lawsuit by nonprofit groups challenging Indiana’s popular “no-call” list.
U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker issued a verdict without trial in favor of Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter, who defended the list.
In a 36-page opinion dated Sept. 6 and issued late Wednesday, Barker said the law is “content-neutral” and does not violate the First Amendment. * * *
Four nonprofit groups – the National Coalition of Prayer, the Kentucky-Indiana Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America, the Indiana Troopers Association and the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police – filed the joint federal lawsuit in April 2002 to overturn the state’s telemarketing law. The law had taken effect several months before the suit was filed. The troopers group dropped out of the litigation in May 2004.
At one point I let them ‘hook’ me and send a form for donating. I gave them my house address, knowing full well that since I have a PO Box, anything send to my street address is returned as undeliverable. A few weeks later a lady called to check the information, because (wonder of wonders) my letter came back ‘undeliverable as addressed.’ I confirmed she had the right address and she said they’d mail it to me again.
Well, within a couple weeks more, I was being called by all sorts of telemarketing firms. All of a sudden. Like magic. No big mystery here – they gave (more likely ’sold’) my information to all sorts of other beggars and scammers.
I am so glad to see them in their current predicament. I hope it only gets worse for them. And I am so glad I never gave them one red cent. I hope none of you have, either.
Good Riddance!
But sadly, they will probably regroup as something else and continue to live their despicable feed-off-the-gullible lifestyle while they provide a mere pittance in actual charitable assistance under the guise of being a noble service for the benefit of our state’s law enforcement community.
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette article on the bankruptcy
Tags: bogus charity · leeches · not for profit · rip-off artists · scam artists2 Comments
2 responses so far ↓
I worked for the I.T.A. for over two years in Fairmont WV. I always had feeling(s) it was such a scam. But the direction this country is heading (down) I had to keep the job to pay bills and take care of my son. I hope they get shut down because their management is nothing more than cheap, rip-off assholes!
I worked for the I.T.A in Fairmont, WV for three months because I needed money. I was suspicious it wasn’t as charitable as claimed, especially since most people called were less than happy about our call. Glad to hear their call center is closed down now.