NRA Telemarketing Scam - March 1, 2004

[Mini-14]

I received a telephone call from a NRA telemarketer this morning.  He first started by thanking me for being a loyal member of the NRA (which I am).  He then went on to tell me the following:

1. The President of the NRA, has written a book titled Shooting Straight: Telling the Truth About Guns in America, which the telemarketer alleged has been blacklisted by booksellers and the media. 
   
2. The NRA is working with the "National Library Association" to get the book into libraries.

I stopped the telemarketer at that point and told him that I had worked in a library for seven years, had a M.S. in Library Science, and worked for a leading producer of library management software.  I also informed him that I had never heard of the "National Library Association", and asked where the organization's headquarters are located.  The telemarketer said that he didn't know and that he would transfer me to his supervisor.

The supervisor then came online and admitted that there is no such organization as the "National Library Association", and stated that the reference to such an organization was designed to reduce the amount of explaining that was needed to get NRA members to take action.  I asked the supervisor exactly what action it was that I was being asked to take.  The supervisor said that I was being asked to donate $45 so that an autographed copy of the book (Amazon price is $19.57) could be donated to a public library in my public area.  The supervisor went on to explain that library "x" had already agreed to accept the book.

I responded by telling him that my experience with libraries is that they never agree to accept to donated materials, and that they only agree to consider a donation.  He then admitted that that statement was also part of the script that was given to him.

I told the supervisor that based on the last several days of events in Washington in which NRA actions were being called into question, that it is important for the NRA to tell the truth to its members, because when the NRA is caught in "little" lies, that everything they do cannot be trusted.  The supervisor said that he agreed and would bring this issue up with his supervisors.

I did not donate money to the NRA today.

 

[Mini-14]

bang

[leadpenny]

Are you certain it really was the NRA?

[Batrachian]

They're trying to scam you and actually admitted it on the phone? I guess it's "scam lite".

[Mini-14]

Either that, or someone who purloined their membership list.

[Lokibob]

Why did you post date this by 2 days?

[devane617]

Something smells very fishy. I too am a member of the NRA( Lifetime ) and I can not imagine they would do something so dumb.
I bet we hear the real story soon. Probably a scam using the NRA.

[Mini-14]

I didn't check my calendear. Shouuld be the 28th.

[NutmegDevil]

Did the caller/supervisor have a fairly high-pitched, Brit-sounding voice. Could be NRA out-sourced the telemarketing campaign.

OR could be you, Freeper Mini-14, have an anti-2nd Ammendment or anti-NRA agenda. I guess you are not on the Telemarketing Stop List?

I'll come back to watch this thread.

[Mini-14]

OR could be you, Freeper Mini-14, have an anti-2nd Ammendment or anti-NRA agenda. I guess you are not on the Telemarketing Stop List?

Eat a bug.

[FairOpinion]

You may be technically correct, but so is the NRA.

It seems like people are referring to the American Library Association as "national library association". It also seems that the National Library Organization did exist in the past, possibly they changed their name at some point and became the ALA. Do a search -- I do get "National Library Association" back in 1888 -- the history of ALA says they have been around since 1876. And see the following:

http://web.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/ala/ccard/listsubj.asp?SU=N

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ARCHIVES HOLDINGS DATABASE

Click a subject heading for a list of records:

National Legislative Network Workshop
National Libraries
National Library Association

"The American Library Association, founded in 1876, is the world's oldest and largest national library association. "

===

In fact I just found another place, where "National Library Association" was listed, and when clicking on the link, it took my to ALA.

http://www.nara-licensing.org/linkschildcareprofessionalorganizationresources.htm

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I'm an NRA member and got a scam video sales thing pulled on me.

They shipped me a video that I never asked for and said I didn't need to pay for it, then they shipped me a bill for it twice.

I wrote in big red ink "I'm not some doddering senior citizen that can be intimidated into paying for a video I didn't order and I'm not paying the shipping to ship it back to you. Stop sending me bills I have no intention of paying".

That pretty much took care of it.

I'm happy with my NRA membership and mostly happy with their efforts on the political front but some of the folks they contract with to fundraise are lowlifes.

[Mini-14]

The "American Library Association" (ALA) is not the "National Library Association". I asked where the headquarters of this organization, were located, and if the telemarketer meant ALA, he would have provided the City of Chicago as the location.

ALA does not sponsor any type of program that would get Wayne LaPierre's books into libraries. To the contrary, ALA is populated with people who hold political views consistent with the Mayor of Chicago, Richard Daley.

[FairOpinion]

"my experience with libraries is that they never agree to accept to donated materials"

===

You are wrong about this. The ALA may not accept donations, but libraries DO. Looks to me that YOU are the one who is misinformed.

Sending Books to Needy Libraries: Book Donation Programs

ALA Library Fact Sheet 12

Please be aware that the American Library Association does not accept or distribute donations of books or any other materials. Organizations that do collect books, for distribution either within or outside the United States, are listed below. Do not hesitate to contact these groups directly to find out their needs.

BOOK DONATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES
Most public libraries in the United States accept gift books with the proviso that the library is free to decide whether to keep the book in the library's collection, put it in a book sale to raise funds for the library, or discard it. Persons seeking to donate books to libraries are encouraged to call their local library and ask about donating books to it.

[Mini-14]

You just proved me right: Most public libraries in the United States accept gift books with the proviso that the library is free to decide whether to keep the book in the library's collection

[Mini-14]

FairOpinion:

How about quoting me in full: "I responded by telling him that my experience with libraries is that they never agree to accept to donated materials, and that they only agree to consider a donation. "

[NutmegDevil]

Re: "Eat a bug."

How'd you know I'm an entomologist? Are you NSA?

I've (since my initial post) read some of your other postings on FreeRepublic, so I'll back off the anti-2nd Ammendment, etc. semi-allegation.

And your bad-bad experience(s) with eye-correction surgery makes me feel I can see those bugs pretty good through my corrective lenses. And, you're not a fan of outsourcing/importing labor force.

I am agreeing with you that NRA used a despicable marketing ploy - I will withhold any donations. Hell, I'm por anyway.

Peace! Huh?

[Mini-14]

Looks to me that YOU are the one who is misinformed.

At my library we would tell the donors that we would take the books, consider them for inclusion into the collection, and then if we decided not to accept the books, that we would resell the books at a quarterly book sale.

I know a lot more about this than you do.

[FairOpinion]

I have better things to do, than argue with you, but you said in your original post:

Mini-14: "my experience with libraries is that they never agree to accept to donated materials"

I just posted the policy, which says that they DO accept donated material, they just want to be free to decide, whether to keep them or not.

So your original statement was incorrect.

[Mini-14]

Peace! Huh?

Agreed.