{May 13, 2011} Consumer Protection BC licenses and regulates certain telemarketers in the province, including companies calling on behalf of charities if they are taking payment over the phone.   Find out more about the rules they must follow by reading the telemarketing regulation in BC. You can also search our website for licensed telemarketers.

However if a charity is calling you themselves for fundraising purposes, they are not required to be licensed with Consumer Protection BC.  

Charity Scams

While there are many legitimate companies and charities calling you for fundraising purposes, it’s a good idea to take some precautions and be an informed consumer.  The following tips can help protect you from scams:

• Ask for the information to be sent to you in writing before committing to a donation.
• Ask the telemarketer to call you back and in the meantime, call up the charity yourself to confirm that they are running a fundraising campaign.
• Visit the Canadian Revenue Agency website to ensure it is a registered charity.
• If you are told that you have won a prize, you should never have to pay money to receive the prize.
• If you do decide to make a donation over the phone, always keep a record of the date, the name, address and phone number of the person you spoke to and the charity, the amount you donated and the method of payment.

Signs of a scam include high pressure or threatening telemarketers who want you to contribute immediately.  If you have been scammed, file a complaint with your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.  Here are some more tips around charity scams from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Telemarketing Rules

The Canada Radio and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) states that any telemarketer can call you during the following times (your local time):

• 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays.
• 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekends.

Please note that the National Do Not Call rules as provided in the Telecommunications Act do not apply to registered charities.  Here are some more consumer tips around telemarketing from our website:

• Telemarketing in BC
• Dealing with a telemarketer (this includes suggestions on how to respond)

A special tip from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA): Gather information about a charity before you donate to it, especially if you are not familiar with the organization. The CRA website includes useful resources for donors, including how to search the CRA’s Charities Listings, questions to ask before donating and tips to avoid fraud.