This number just called me. I suspected it was a scam and didn't answer.

BITE ME!

Keep calling our company, asking for my boss. I have told them we are not interested. Repeatedly. They call back at least once a week. She said her name is Karen Williams. How do I get these solicitors to stop harrassing me?

Pretended to be collecting for a Children's Wish program (the dirty scumbag lowlifes!!!), but was obviously WAY too pushy for an actual charity. No, this was a commisioned sales slug. Wouldn't take "No" for an answer. 709 area code collecting for "Toronto Sick Kids Hospital"??? Puh-lease...

A woman's voice wanting a small sponsorship!  Didn't wait for her to explain...  Didn't see why we would be asked for a sponsorship from 709 number when we are located miles away.  Lots of local entities needing funds - wouldn't even consider it.

Erin called asking for the owner.  Was informed we're a publically traded company and out board is located in New Jersey. Hung up then called back 6 times saying "Sorry, wrong number."

Perhaps Dave2U (19 Oct 2012) would be so kind as to post a direct link to his claim of the BBB rating for the Drug and Addictions magazine and Hospital Activity Playbook for Children.  Dave2U claims both publications have A+ ratings by BBB.

First, BBB does not rate publications, they only rate businesses or charities which is why when I went to  the BBB site, I could not find a rating on either publication.

Get your facts straight please.  I have researched the scam and it is a scam.  As noted by others, they sell lots of advertising, and then print a cheap magazine or playbook and then they mail it to the school or hospital as an unsolicited donation.  Big profits to them and a worthless magazine for a donation!!

Rec'd call from this number today at 1125h MDT.  I did not answer the phone since I didn't recognize the area code or number.

Some research on the web showed the call originated in St John's NL.  I called the number back after hitting *67.  Got auto attendant indicating call is from offices of "Drug and Addications" magazine and "Hospital Activity Playbook for Children".  Both publications appear to be legitimate businesses and both are accredited by the Better Business Bureau with A+ ratings.

Both web sites (dafacts.com & habfc.com) provide toll-free numbers for making polite requests for removal from calling lists.  For the D&A magazine, call: 1-866-270-9926 and for HABFC, call: 1-877-413-6163.

FYI, I'm NOT affiliated with either of these organizations, but I have some direct marketing experience.

Hope this helps!

Fund raising for a Sick Kids hospital while I live in Toronto and they have another office in Edmonton, they called from NFLD.

Told them were located out west and they apoligized, but never hung up for nearly 5 minutes as they chatted about this scam.   I could have listened to more of the background chatter, but gave up and was quite satisfied of this was not a charity.

Rec'd a call from 'Ashley' just now from 709-738-6546 - google-mapped it to St. John's Newfoundland to a business listed at Aliant Down East Communications which looks like a retail sales/service store. Very pleasant and polite, thanked me for my time, never got ill-mannered during her pitch. She offered a chance to support a victim (child) services book for hospital and police services to give out free of charge.....told her not interested. Different twist on an old scam.....sad.

Want sponsorship for hospital book for children.... want to speak with General Manager and sounds really rude!!

HAH!!!

Claimed to want sponsorship for children's hospital fundraising.

Do they really 'keep' calling? Or did they just call once this past month and you haven't actually asked them to not call again?

Just so you know, if you work in a large business, and somebody in your organization has gotten their number and extension on their list, they won't necessarily remove you from their call list unless you can give them the extension. This is what happened to me, and I had to stay on the phone with them until i could make it clear to them that our number and a particular extension were off limits. They're expecting to reach an automated manager so they can input the extension. If you intercept them before they can do that, they'll just make their pitch to you. It's how they're able to circumvent the do not call request.

And incidentally, these guys do raise money for and forward those funds to hospitals and schools. It's a small amount, so unless you can verify their legitimacy with the right person at the hospital or school in question, you aren't likely to be able to determine their legitimacy.

They keep calling saying that they are fundraising for a hospital.

You idiots. All of you who have written to complain about this company have completely missed the point.

The fact that you can actually reach someone when you call back, and that you are given a directory of names and extensions to choose from should tell you that this is much less a 'scam', and more likely an opportunistic, fly-by-night, cheap publication designed to provide employment for a few people and some nominal, token funding for local schools and local hospitals. Of course they're going to try to sell you advertising in their magazine - this is how these smaller / cheaper publications subsist. They don't have the readership and distribution, so they rely almost 100% on revenue from advertising. I called a local school. They recognized the name of the publication. It's cheap and pretty much ignored.

If you're getting calls in Alberta from a magazine based in Newfoundland, there's a safe bet they're targeting the two things these two provinces have in common: oil and gas companies, and the Newfoundlanders who work in them - big mystery solved there! They're appealing to all Newfoundlanders here and abroad who may a connection to these local schools and hospitals. They aren't publishing professionals, they're salespeople. If they think you're not worth their time, they'll hang up and move on to the next person. It's an old profession, and probably has a high rate of turnover. The lesson here is 'Buyer Beware!', or more appropriately - stop whining you bunch of p**sies and hang up the phone.

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Same magazine advertising scam as Edmonton 780-701-3728.
They sell $10,000+ in advertising to distribute $500 worth of paper to your local school, charity, foundation,

Called soliciting for "Ronald McDonald House" - wanted to speak to general manager.

They called asking to speak with the owner or general manager. She said they were dealing with Sick Kids Hospital. I put her on hold for a minute and she hung up.

I live in a smaller community.  They phoned to solicit money from my business on behalf of a school program.  They said they offered training and distributed their magazine in our local public schools.  They actually named one of the schools were they claimed to have provided workshops to the kids.  I said no.  Out of curiosity I phoned the school and asked the Principal if she knew who they were.  She did not.  Since they were trying to solicit funds unethically by using local school names, I then also reported it to our local school board who said they would call this company to have them cease what they were doing.  It is a scam.  I thought newfies were more honest and noble.

Just got a call from this number.  Didn't leave a message as usual.  Never do.  Must be a marketer otherwise, they would tell you what their looking for and request you to call them back.  Go away....(709) is NFLD area code.

Just got a call from them.  Looking for advertising $$$ and had some graphic stories about how teens are abusing alcohol!

I attempted to call this business and request being removed from their do not call list.
I was just placed in a loop of messages no allowing to leave a message.

Yeah, these same folks called me last year and wanted me to support a magazine that said would be delivered to children in a local hospital that are sick with cancer.  The trouble is, the hospital they named does not treat cancer in adults or children.  SCAM!!!  Hang up on these low-lifes.

I get calls above number 709-738-6546

yes  same company

I have star 60 on my phone to block a number but can't block this one or any outside Canada  so my phone company says.  My phone company is the pits

Here is the web site that has all the companies information.  Toll free numbers etc.  I asked them to remove me from their calling list by telephone, and email.  Don't know if it will work but I will keep calling them hourly if I have to.
http://www.dafacts.com/index.html

same

waste my time

They called out store .. then said "Sorry wrong number" and hung up :( !!!!

They called, but did not leave a VM.  Doing a search reveals that this number is for a Advertiser... A company called Drugs & Addiction Magazine Ltd located in Eastern Canada (St John's, NL)