319-243-3033

Follow up phone call from 615-965-3018. Supposedly Kids Wish Network, very hard sale tactic. Wanted money directly over the phone. Asked for brochure or website to do research. They already had my address.  About 30 minutes later this number called the house very late, asked for my wife. Said she had pledged money and needed to verify billing.  I was sitting right there when my wife told the first lady we don't give money to cold calls over the phone. Told them to never call my house again. She threatened me by say, "We can't cancel the pledge, someone has to pay".

The Kid's Wish Network is a REAL charitable organization.  Here's there website:  http://www.kidswishnetwork.org/
I had a cousin who died of Neuroblastoma, and thanks to organizations like Kid's Wish Network, she was able to go to Disney World, and swim with dolphins.  This is a great cause and I make an annual donation to them and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

The Kids Wish Network called me in CT today from the number 800-761-7049. It may be a valid charity, but they appear not to have filed the appropriate paperwork with the Better Business Bureau to be accredited (as, for instance, the Make-a-Wish Foundation does and is; you can easily see the difference). While it's optional for a charity to provide information about its finances, I choose to give my money to ones that do. I also dislike phone solicitations, and that they don't use their charity name in Caller ID.

This number has been calling me daily for over a week now, except when I answer, there's no one there.  After about 5 or so seconds they hang up.  I agree, I don't like solicitor calls nor do I donate to anyone who trys that tactic.

The answer to "I'm on the Do Not Call list" and "Where do they get the #" is.....  They get it from the Do Not Call list.  Congratulations!  You've fallen for that scam.  The law exempts charities, all non-taxable organizations and all politicians running for office.  By joining the list, you provided all of them with a good phone number.  At least you aren't getting those siding salesman calls but look at the cost.  You get these calls.  And plenty of 'em.

This number has called a couple of times; I really don't care who they are. My answer phone answers on unknown calls, and if the caller ID doesn't say a name, I'm not going to answer it. PLUS, this last time they called, the line stayed open and my phone said "in use". So the line stayed on, on their end, which is really odd. ??

Apparently this is some kind of children's foundation, not Make A Wish, but something 'wish' with pretty much the same format, donate money to fulfill the wish of a terminally ill child. They wanted a donation by CC over the phone but I asked that they mail out a donation form to make sure they're legit. I said I would make a small donation. About 5 minutes after I hung up somebody else called from a blocked number to verify my age because I "sounded young".

I don't give a flying [***] who these scam artists pretend to be if I don't contact you don't contact me and leave no message....they can go [***] themselves...

Someone has been calling from this number asking for my husband by first name only; like it's their friend calling.  The funny thing is they ask for him my his real name which is what he doesn't go by (LOL).  I then ask to take a message and they say "We will call back later".  I so think $4.95 is worth blocking all of these annoying calls we receive.  Gotta love that feature!

31 March2010 - 820 PM I have been getting about one call per week. They just habg up when I answer.

I received a call from this number, they asked for my daughter, who hasn't lived here in over 10 years. I thanks her for the call, and politely declined a pledge due to our economic times. I then Thanked her for the call, and hung up. The Kid's Wish Network Sounds legit, I just can't give right now... Just my opinion.

They called us just now (8:55pm pacific) and just hung up.  We've gotten a few of these calls over the past few weeks.  They just hang up when we answer.

Who are these people?? We've gotten multiple calls from 319-243-3033. All our caller ID says is "IOWA". They wouldn't give my husband their name or what business or organization they were calling for when he asked. They  just asked to speak to me...calling me by name. I've never even seen this # before the calls started. IS it Kid Wish Network as the other posts state?

I had someone call me from 319 243 3033 (caller ID said IOWA) saying that they were with the Make a Wish foundation.  I don't like solicitors, but they sounded legit so I asked them to send me a donation through the mail instead of payingover the phone.  About 2 minutes after I hung up an out of area # called asking for me, they said that they were with the Make a Wish foundation so I pretended to be someone else to get rid of them.  What sounded legit at first is now sounding like a scam.  Especially when the first person I talked to said that they are located in Florida but my caller ID said IOWA.  Interesting to say the least.

Interesting. The people that called us never did tell us who they were (as in the name of the business) so it leads me to believe that they aren't a legit organization or business. They refused to leave a message with my husband either. If it IS a fund raising organization, I think I'd like to CHOOSE to contact THEM instead of the other way around. And anyway, I don't give donations over the phone.

Are you all sure this isn't a collection agency? The only collection companies Ive had call us are for debts that were closed or charged off. We tried settling with all of them but none of them would take the payments we were able to make. I just want to know if this is a collection agency or this Kid Wish Network. Anyone ever call them back to find out? My husband always gets a busy signal when we try to return their call.

They just called again at 8:36pm Pacific time. Do they realize that it is AFTER a NORMAL business hours? It can't be legal for ANY business or organization to call after 8pm. I mean come on...people are TRYING to relax after a long day...whoever they are need to leave us alone! I have put their number on my blocked number list. I hope they don't have any more numbers.

I don't care who the hell they are Sarah. I CANT donate to any organization...we work hard to keep our own family going. I'm sure its a great cause but even if I could donate to something like them...I never, ever do it over the phone. And a LEGIT organization would leave at least a first name and what organization they're calling for. These [***] did NOT do any of that. AND they're bugging us after 8pm. That's just plain rude!

Debt collectors or Collection Agencies –   - do not fall under the Do not call registry.

These jerks will & do call on weekends even though it is against Federal Laws.  When they call, I like to click on talk, then immediately on end.  I know it has to bug them.  On weekends I will answer with ,” You are in violation of Federal Laws, and I will sue you for $1,000.00 for each call!  Yes, it is legal to sue for $1,000.00 each violation.  Please keep reading the rest of my post.

However, Federal Law says you don't have an obligation to Collection Agencies or Debt Collectors; you can send them a written letter and they cannot contact you after that.  They also have to contact you within 5 days after the first phone call, letter etc., and give you validation/proof or judgment of the debt.  You are not required to ask for it.

This law is known as the Fair Debt Collector Practices Act.  You can get it at FTC.gov; as well as other Consumer Protection Laws.

Most collection agencies, purchase your delinquent debt for pennies on the dollar.  Guess what? It is no longer your debt!!!  You don't have any agreement/contract with the debt collector or collection agency.  Your only agreement/contract was with the original creditor.

In the Law of Novation: if a debt is purchased by another, for that to be a legal owed obligation, a new contract / agreement has to be written and signed by all parties.  Google Law of Novation and read up!!!

No I am not an attorney, just a well knowledged, educated consumer.  I have spent the past year studying various Federal Consumer Protection Laws.  I wasn't just satisfied knowing I could send a letter to a Collection Agency/Debt Collector and they had to go away.  I read that in the Fair Debt Collector practices Act law;  I needed to know why, what law tells me the reason why I can.

Everything I have typed, I have learned basically on my own through reading, studying, printing out and binding the laws and underlining them.  Not to mention the knowledge I have gained on my own fighting two lawsuits without an Attorney.

I was sued by a Collection Agency, and waiting for a Court date. The Collection Agency Attorney, sent us a letter willing to dismiss with prejudice our lawsuit, if I dismiss our Cross/Counter Claim for Fair Debt Collector Practices Act violations.  Oh, I forgot to mention, we do not have an Attorney representing us; and I have not had any legal experience, in the past whatsoever.

I have read / printed & bound, my State's Rules of Civil Procedure and Rules of Civil Procedure - Evidence.  I catch Attorneys on violations of State Rules of Civil Procedure all the time.  And our Judge's let them get away with it.

And Mr Collector dated July 31, 2008, it appears that you have never had your life turned upside down, because a good job, not high paying by any means, but a supposed secure job, got your hours cut by 3/4.  And then a couple years later, as you are just recovering, you lose that job.  And when you are in your 50's, a new job is not so easy to come by.  And when that happens, then what?  Or what about a major illness, guess you've never had that either - too bad.  Maybe if you did, you'd understand why and how people end up getting in financial straights. Not because they chose to, or decided they were going to find loopholes to get out of paying obligations etc.

What if the money isn't there to pay these debts to begin with?  We've been barely able to pay a mortgage, let alone credit cards etc. It's easy to tell someone else what to do.  I hope someday, something throws your secure little world off its axis, and you find yourself in the very situation as some of us here. Maybe then you'd learn it isn't such a cut/dry situation.

Oh, we've struggled.  And the job last hasn't exactly been replaced.  We're still behind in our Mortgage and trying to catch up, as with our other legal obligations.  I can't work because of various health conditions, or I would, including a part time job at least.  My husband started his own company with the tools of the trade, and now contracts for copier, computer, IT technical jobs as he has a computer science degree, and has years of experience in the others, especially the wide format copier / printers / computers.

People, please read the Fair Debt Collector Practices Act; if a Debt Collector violates any one harrassment or other law in there; Federal Laws says you can sue them for $1,000.00 per violation.  Do it, and then THEY can pay off YOUR obligations!!!  

And to the Collector's who follow the rules.  Remember these people probably don't actually owe, the money your company is trying to collect.
If your company bought the debt, from the original creditor - they don't legally owe you/your employer!!!

Again I am not an Attorney - but have learned these by my own experiences.  Their are Attorneys you could talk to, and I would, if any violations of the laws have occured in your circumstance.  I am posting this strictly to help others maybe have a piece of mind, if they are up all night worrying about financial problems, and sick to their stomach in worry as I have been, and still are in some ways. I am again just a well informed, knowledgable consumer, who has spent hours studying the laws, because I had no where else to turn for help.  If anything I have written, causes you questions, please seek the advice of an Attorney.

Certain situations such as Mortgages and Car Payment loans usually do not apply here; so you may need to seek the advice of a Lawyer for your individual situation.

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Caller ID said "IOWA".  I tried saying hello, but they just hung up.   I called back, got a "please hold for the next representative", then a woman answered "Hello"?  Then I hung up.  Sounds like scam artists of some sort...