CAlling asking for my first and last name but with the wrong middle name

Called today, but left no message.....  Caller ID just reported "Houston TX"

Called (6:10PM Today)didn't leave a message. I have a policy to never answer the phone unless I know who is calling. If it was important enough they would leave a message. This person did not.

Received a call from 281-677-8840 on July 16 at about 4:30 pm. I called back, received a message saying that the owner of this number is unavailable, leave a message. I did not leave a message. My policy is to call the police as soon as I have enough information to report a telephone harrassment. I hope he/she will call again soon. Probably, another scammer.

a guy from this number called said he was collecting money for the state troopers assoc. I hung up cause I kno troopers don't collect money that way

Collecting for Texas state troopers. Only wanted bank or credit/debit info. Would not send donation info in the mail. Must be a scam.

Got call tonight from this number.  Was kind of faint and the man asked for me by name.  I said it was me, then he started to say something and the call hung up.

I live in Oregon but my parents received a call from this number the other night in Texas and the man left a message on their answering machine saying, "Hey (My Name)" and hung up. They said he had a deep voice and the caller ID only said "Texas." I guess it was the same scam as the rest of you had.

Receiived a call from 281-677-8840 - I did not answer because I did not reconize the number, caller hung up after three rings, did not leave a message

Waited to see if they would leave a message, but they did not.  Caller ID said Houston, TX

Answered a call from (281) 677 - 8840.  Heard a short laugh, nothing for 15-20 seconds, then a busy signal

Phone rang 4 times.  On answering, I heard 2 seconds of breathing, then they hung up.  I've been receiving calls from this number for about a week, off-and-on.  They never speak when I answer.

It's actually called

The Texas Highway Patrol Association.
And yes! they want you to donate money, they tent to call those whose last names are more likely Hispanic.

(I know, worked for them)

Again and again... asking money for Troopers. Texas State Troopers are Texas State employees and paid with TAXPAYERS money... there should be no solicitation for any money from TAXPAYERS.

YES we do stop f****n lyin

I got a call on September 11, 2009 from 281-677-8840 asking for a donation to the Texas State Troopers Association. They are who they say they are. I gave a donation of $15 over the phone with my debit card. It is legit. The $15 just cleared from my checking account today September 18, 2009 (took awhile) and I also received my Don't Drink and Drive bumper sticker along with a Texas State Trooper bumper sticker stating that I support the troopers. The gentleman I spoke with was kind and courteous as well.

Received four calls from this number (218-677-8840)TODAY.  On the third call, I answered the phone "Attorney's office." and the caller hung up on me.  The fourth, I informed the caller it was illegal to use automatic call devices as of last week with the possible fine of $16,000.  He informed me that it did not pertain to him because he was a charitable association.  I informed him, he was a for profit as 97% of the proceeds goes to his company and 3% to the charity.  If he did not want me to file a civil action against his company in state district court, I would recommend he remove my number from his list. We will see if it works.  If not, read the papers, you might just see my action.

call a call a short while ago....but did not answer as it only said Texas. I am in Houston and after reading this, I just want to sy the following.  Our local CBS channel ( 11) has editorial last night about these so call fund raisers...........less than 3% goes to the actual fund the rest in the callers pockets.......call and give direct if you wish to donate.

I agree...these calls, aren't technically scams, but so nuch of the money goes to the for-profit fundraising company, it's not something I want to give my money to.  They also imply that they are real peace officers making the calls, which is not true and they are often very rude if you decline, usually hanging upon on you.  I can think of better ways to donate.

Follow up on above comment. I had not noticed the comment by Teddy listing the TSTA number in Austin. I called that and got a very nice lady who acknowledged that the 281 number did belong to a company that they hired to do soliciting for them. When I reported my 3 hang ups over a months time, and the contents of this Blog, she immediately took my number and said it would be put on their "Do Not Call" list. She also was going to look into the annoying performance of the hired company and their system.  We will see.

I just got another call (3 over a months time) from this number and, again, they hung up after I said hello and nobody came on the line for about 20 seconds. I see the comments about the TSTA and these seem like bogus, or out of character actions, for the TSTA. I can not believe that the TSTA would hang up on me 3 times with the same pattern. I am getting worried that this is some kind of "Are you home?" probe with the intent of perhaps burglarizing the property. I would like to know if the others that are getting calls have their name available through IDD??  Somebody needs to stop this because, at the very least, it is damn irritating.

It's a legit call... I call the Troopers Assoc. myself (512) 450-1814 here in Austin. They hired a company in Houston to do the fundrasing for them. The only problem I see is, that they should give you the info. you ask for.

I continue to get calls form the phone number. Noone speaks & when I call back it goes straight to voice mail.

Same here!

I got a call from them this morning and they claimed to be collecting donations for the police department. They asked my name and address, and tried to get me to give them my credit card number.

I am reporting them to the attorney general for fraud.

Today, July 18, 2009 at 4:52 PM
A man asked for my husband by his full name. I asked who he was. he said his name was Mr. Guzman. He told me " it was a simple question, he wanted my husband was he there or not" I hung up on him.

Am tired of repeated calls not soliciated....OVER AND OVER AGAIN!! Even after requesting telephone number be removed from calling list.

Just got a call from these idiots again.  They are so helpful not wanting to stretch anyone too far by accepting small amounts and allowing two weeks or more to return the donation. What a crock.

Like sagirl, I wish they would go away. Unfortunately, certain parts of the law do not give businesses the same protection as consumers get. If sagirl really wants to make them go away, she will talk to them (Of course, it's impossible if they just hang up -- as they did the first time they called me.) and get useful information, then POST IT HERE.

If we exchange useful information -- not mere whines about being bothered -- and then take that information to the FCC, the FTC, and our local court houses in the form of Small Claims Court lawsuits, they WILL EVENTUALLY GO AWAY. Of course, you have to have documentation of their actual violations of the law when they called you. Pictures of your Caller ID, recordings of the calls, etc. are very helpful. I find checks for $4,000, $10,000, and even $1,000 to be very helpful, when I plan vacations or look at new cars. I've gotten checks like that from telemarketers.

I got a call from this number (281-677-8840) on June 24th. I had no useful information to post here, and there was little of any real use at the time, so I didn't post.

Today, I got another call. I told the caller -- as soon as he came on the line -- "Do not ever call back. Telemarketers, send us a copy of your written do not call guidelines, and put us on all do not call lists."

Unfortunately for them, I said the same thing during the first call -- AFTER SOMEONE CAME ON THE LINE!!! In other words, the call today was totally illegal because they had been told. And, that first call was illegal because the caller did not identify himself or the calling organization or give a phone number I could use to be put on their do not call list. Even if they hung up after I started talking and before I got to the pertinent part, that call was illegal -- and the law holds them responsible for what they failed to listen to.

Think about it. If you close your eyes as you approach an intersection and the light turns red, does that make it okay to run the red light? Same principle applies to telephone calls.

So: here's the scoop on the outfit, as given to me today:
It is a "statewide appeal" on behalf of a "Don't drink and drive." campaign. It is being done by the Texas State Troopers Association, and the guy gave a telephone number, but the last digit wasn't clear to me. 800-307-300(six?)
You will notice that much of this is the same information offered by others who posted here. So, any subsequent claim that this is credit repair or credit card or car warranty or whatever else is probably not credible, just like the notion that one of these calls is associated with junk mail or a brochure left at your door.

There are MULTIPLE organizations which use the terms "Texas" and "Troopers." Some are better than others. So, whether this particular one asks for a credit card (Apparently it does, based on some posts.) or sends stuff in the mail (Probably one of the others.) or BOTH, I cannot say.  

I do have additional information about some of these organizations, but it is not readily available to me today. When I get a chance, I will sift out the distinction between whether this is one of the Good Guys (THERE ARE SOME) or if it's just one of the bottom feeders that don't do much for the public, for drunk driving, or for troopers -- but is not, in fact, a fraudulent scam.

Since the guy did give that information required by law during this second (illegal) call, they are probably trying to comply with the law, and may be fairly legitimate.

It is purely random coincidence that you got a call a week after someone put a brochure on your door. If you're getting junk at your door and on your telephone so rarely as this, you're very fortunate.

I've gotten more than a dozen telemarketing phone calls in a single day; each from a different source. To get junk mail or hand delivered brochures from the same source as telemarketing phone calls is either extremely rare, or totally non-existant.

However, Mike -- in this case, the two were NOT CONNECTED.