Called hung up?

There is NO Texas Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).  

That's something you find in New Jersey or those Yankee states which love unions and the cops average about $150,000/year and they get a no-neck short guy who owns a suit to represent them.

Fraternal Order Of Police...wanting donations...Oh so want them to stop these years of calls...at least I just bought digitone and can block them and their other #'s...

Please stop calling!!!!!

Man, this is the THIRD telemarketer scum to call my number today.  I'VE HAD IT!

THis one just says "OUT OF AREA"

Answering machine pickedup and they hung up.

BLOCK!

WHat GOOD is it to have a "DO NOT CALL" LIST if nobody pays any attention to it?????????

"Fraternal Order of Police" Robocall with the usual "why don't you give us some money over the phone" scam.

Well, semi-robocall, since some trained monkey chooses the next sound file to play based on what I'm saying.

I felt very unprepared. I really need to have a jack*** sound board at the ready to be on equal footing with those clowns.

Haven't answered the phone from them yet but they call every day and do not leave a message.  Can't be that important but very annoying.  All my friends and family or in my phone so I know if they are calling.  Everyone else can leave a message.

Well I got another robo call, this time I indicated that I wanted to "help". This is the only way you're going to be connected to a live person.
When the agent answered I asked him if this was his sole means of livelihood. I explained that I couldn't imagine someone actually making a living doing what he does....certainly he would have to have second job to pay the bills. He quickly hung-up.

When I answered the call.  it sounded like a live human was on the other end but after a few seconds I realized it was just a computerized robo call.

I used to get calls like this, and they started up again today.  6:45 on a Saturday evening.  Very authoritative sounding voice, announcing he was calling on behalf of the Texas Fraternal Order of Police.  He waited for a heartbeat or two, expecting me to be impressed.  I hung up on him, without commenting.   If you like unions, then this is right up your alley.  They are likely pushing the sequestration as a selling point for a donation, so I didn't give him a chance to pontificate.  The caller ID said Unknown.

Called it back, said Texas Fraternal order of Police.

Just letting you know I appreciate teachers and feel for you being out of work. You get that degree and teach to rude kids who are spoiled by their parents. You were probably  underpaid too. Hopw you have better luck soon.
Anyway, Icalled them back spoke to them on the phone.  They wanted me to donate money to the Texas Fraternal Order of Police. Keep talking, so I just started yelling "take me off of your calling list, never call this number again you will be sorry if you do" so the pushy guy just said I'll put you on the do not call list. We'll see. Don't give them a chance to take advantage of you, they will never stop calling!

called them back spoke to them on the phone.  They wanted me to donate money to the Texas Fraternal Order of Police. Keep talking, so I just started yelling "take me off of your calling list, never call this number again you will be sorry if you do" so the pushy guy just said I'll put you on the do not call list. We'll see. Don't give them a chance to take advantage of you, they will never stop calling!

I spoke to them on the phone.  They wanted me to donate money to the Texas Fraternal Order of Police.

It came back as Time Warner Communications out of Houston.

The Texas Department of Public Safety or Texas Highway Patrol or whatever the scammers decide to call them do NOT make phone call solicitations. Period.

Called me, then never answered my hellos.

Two words: call blocker. My home phone is with Time Warner Cable and I can go online and block calls. I love it.

no clue

They keep calling me. I told them I wasn't able to make a donation this year they just keep calling.

Well, I need a donation!!! Yea...!!! Laid off teacher and can't find work....I got two phone calls and looking at me checkbook with not money int it and a car that barely runs.  So, working on finding a job.
I got calls two hours apart from the same number while trying to figure out how I'm going to live.
Because i answered one phone call yesterday, they kept coming and wouldn't leave me alone.

  If they need money and donations, go to the wealthy..... They are one reason why I am having difficulty finding work anyway.

   This is craziness... We use never calls like this.....A phone was used for emergencies and communicate with family and friends....Who would like to donate to all of the laid off teachers who are supporting themselves and families.....!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU!!!! If more people would take the time to call 'em back, then tell us what happened, this site would be a lot more useful.

If EVEN MORE people would talk to them -- go along with them -- pretend to be interested. Even get a credit card out and start to read some numbers, then pause: "Wait. Did you say . . .?" or, "I hope you'll forgive me, but I'm not sure about . . ." Ask them for a web site -- then log onto the web site with them on the phone. Ask them for a call-back number -- then call the number from another phone, while they're on the line. Some of this works more smoothly if there are two of you; one on the phone and the other verifying their information. Once it checks out, it's time to say, "Put us on all do not call lists, and don't ever call back." (The word "all" is important. If there's a company calling on behalf of an actual, legitimate trooper's association, and you don't say "all," they can take you off of one list, and leave you on the other.

The company can take you off of the client's list, but call you for a different client, later. Or, it can take you off of its internal list (If it has one.) and leave you on the client's list. The client is then free to call you again during some other begathon, and potentially to sell your information.

Chances are, since there's another post which suggests this is a new campaign (Look at the dates. All recent.), the reference to New Jersey is probably something they haven't had time to change. They are, most likely, in Texas now. And, in this case, very likely to be a scam.

Not all of these state trooper outfits are scams. It's just that some are more honest and ethical than others.

This one, however, seems a bit dicey. I would have called back, but it's been done. I would have answered, but couldn't get to the phone soon enough. "New Jersey." 281-- Texas -- Area Code. Early November, 2012. It all adds up to an outfit which was begging on behalf of New Jersey LEOs, and ran into a wall. Or, got blown out of town. Flooded; whatever. New Jersey is no longer a good place to beg for anything. You and I, in Texas, are good targets for a touch, though. "New Jersey cops have all had their houses burn down/fill with sand/blown away/filled with water, etc. Can you help us dig them out?"

So, either this is an outfit that wants to prey on the softhearted and softheaded, using New Jersey's devastation as their hook, or it's an outfit which can no longer operate in a state where a lot of things still don't operate. So, they came to Texas.

The timing, and connection with New Jersey, does make this outfit seem suspicious. Wanna give money? Call the Red Cross. Maybe your church or some other organization you know has an outreach there, and can use your money.

Now, as for answering the phone, that's always a good idea. All of the excuses people come up with for not answering, thinking they are so shrewd, are generally pointless. Answer the darn phone. Think a little beyond answering (WHICH, BY ITSELF, IS GREAT!!! Answering is better than not answering.) and figure out a "hook" to string them along, get information about them, and help the rest of us figure out how to go to small claims court, along with you, so we can all make their lives miserable in a meaningful way.

This is a little bit like a friend, the day after the election, who said, "We lost the election." "Really? Who won? The Germans?" WE ALL WON, because we were able to vote without endangering our lives. Maybe there was some hassling, here or there, but not much, not widespread, and not the kind of thing that happens in other countries.

Same with these calls. We all win, when one of us wins a real victory. None of the foolishness which sometimes shows up on 800Notes. Finding out who they are, exposing them, and banding together against them. Filing lawsuits. Getting them put out of business. Collecting thousands of dollars from them. That's when we'll really win!

If you can find out who they are, and they are local, you might get some news crew to investigate. Within the past month, I saw a piece where the news crew went into a place which was, apparently, shutting down. I don't know if a previous news item caused it, or why . . . but none of them like having their dirty laundry aired out (or put on the air) where everyone can see. Given enough information, one of the majors like 20/20, 60 Minutes, etc. might be interested in an investigation.

These are the only kinds of things which will have an impact.

You will never bother them enough to justify wasting your time, if you don't take one of the suggestions above -- or take them to court. They're familiar with the putting them on hold routine. They don't care if you answer or not; they can just keep calling. None of the things you think are "messing with" them, or wasting their time, etc. have any effect.

Filing a lawsuit, will. Even if you don't get very far with it, they'll have to pay a lawyer to play whatever game trips you up. If you keep at it, you'll learn the ropes, and they can't trip you up, and you can make a lot of money. More importantly, if enough of us do it we can make them change their ways.

Get an expired credit card, get good at starting to give  numbers of a current card, and demand information from them, before proceeding with the transaction. Find out -- ahead of time -- if there's a way your credit card company will allow you to cancel a transaction . . . because, in order to get money from your bank, they will have to identify themselves. Look at your statement: every item has information -- contact information -- about the transaction.

Simply answering the phone, finding out who they are, where they are, what their phone number is, etc. and posting all of it here is a great start. Not answering the phone? Why bother to come brag about it?

You don't have to answer your phone for callers to know if it's a functional one, or not. A call to a non-functioning number will alert the caller that it's a non-working number. Don't believe me? Stop paying your phone bill. When it is cut off, try calling it and see just how much it acts like a functioning number.

It matters not whether your number is functioning or non-functioning. Well, it matters not how they find out it is a working number. They will not sell, and nobody else would buy, a number simply based on whether it's working or not. That's stupid.

Whoever "might buy" a list of numbers can find out if numbers are working the same way you -- or the sellers -- can find out if it's working. They're not going to pay someone else to give them what is, basically, free information.

What they will pay for is a database with your name, address, how many people are in the house, your dog's name, and so on. Even that isn't very valuable, because most of the info is free on the Internet. What is valuable is: What you buy. Where you buy it. How often you buy it. What your income is; personal information that can't be gotten by merely making your phone ring -- or by doing a search on the Internet.

There are lots of reasons not to answer the phone when these jerks call: Too busy, scared to death, knowing you will holler at them, and wanting to be nice -- lots of reasons.

What you suggested: " . . . they will know your number is a functional one . . " makes no sense, and therefore qualifies as stupid. It is not a reason to not answer the phone.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but beggars like this have an exemption from the DNC list. However, there are ways for you to get around the loopholes that let them get around the law. Among other things, outfits like this sometimes lie about their non-profit status. If you can prove it, they can pay you between $500 and $1,500 per call if you take them to small claims court.

If you're tired of this, send a letter to your congressman and senators. Send one to FCC and FTC. Send letters to local legislators, asking them to make your state's law more strict. Complain to your state's Attorney General.

There's a lot you can do. Think about it: If you vote, what percentage of the total is your vote? If you complain, you're going to stand out. You may be 100% of the complainers. Even if 100 others complain, your voices speak louder than in the voting booth.

BUT: There's nobody voting against you, except the greedy geese bothering you. So, as a simple matter of voting, you -- if you get others to join you -- can outvote them, any day.

Convince your lawmakers to put a stop to it, and they might. After all, you're "voting" with your letter, and if they get enough letters, they might see it as a threat to their re-election and do something useful, for a change.

Hang in there, but do a little more than posting here. Post over yonder, where it counts.

Of course, if you live in Texas, you're screwed. Pompous Perry tends to veto all kinds of things which would make life simpler or safer or less expensive for us. So, he won't be interested in anything to curb telebothering activities.

After all, he thinks it's okay for people to kill each other by texting or using a handheld telephone while driving. We can only hope one of his "friends" does something to change his mind. I wouldn't want them to run over him or kill one of his loved ones, but maybe if something like a car or the side of a house is destroyed by a texter, it will knock some common sense into him.

This is the guy who wanted to mandate a vaccination for all young girls. What a hypocrite. That's invasive, but he doesn't want to "micro-manage" drivers too stupid to put away their telephones.

BUT, there's hope: IF enough people raise a loud enough furor (like they did in the virus debacle), he'll probably see the light and change course. Not likely, since he's now a lame duck, but hope springs eternal.

called the number back (from a different number) and got a recording stating "Thanks for calling back"  This is ????? from the New Jersey State Law Enforcement.  Blah, blah, blah!!  I live in Texas so why call me???  I don't care!  It is just another scam!

Called me today and only rang 3 times. Caller ID says Unknown

Reports on this number have been received on other scam / nuisance-calls / telemarketing websites, as well as this one. Do not answser the call or they will know your number is a functional one, and you'll receive more calls from them and other telemarketers to whom they will sell your number.

left no message

Calls from this number and hang ups when I answer.  Calling earlier than even allowed for solicitors.

Called number back and after waiting on hold, a very pushy man would barely let me speak after I asked who this is. Said he is asking for donations to the newly opened drive for state troopers fund. I finally was able to get him to let me talk for a second and I Asked to be taken off list and he said no problem. I am on no call list and I am tired of it not working.