Complaint Review: Civic Development Group

I started working at CDG a few months ago excited at the fact that just out of highschool i could start making 12 $ an hour no questions asked. The schedules were flexible, the staff even seemed like good guys trying to make an honest living.

Well after I had worked there several months i began to notice managers joined with staff participating in illegal acts. This mainly was the result of drug deals or using. There are people in and out of this place all the time buying, selling or doing drugs. One fellow employee even kept a coffee canteen to drink his whiskey while calling.

To understand CDG, you have to understand the way the company works. First off, they call on behalf of three different organizations (Fraternal Order of Police, Firemans Association, and the Paralyzed Veterans) Little do the public know that if they paid attention, all three of these organizations contributions ended up being mailed to the same address where they are then seperated to the individual groups.

Now pay attention, because this parts going to shock you. A whopping 15% is "guaranteed" to make it to the actual organization your donating to, the other 85 goes straight to CDG's already overstuffed pockets. While you are working your constantly being hounded to do better, to get donations and to "project" your voice to give the appearence of some burly officer calling for donations. Instead of asking, they refer to it as friendly bullying, or shaking the money out of peoples pockets.

On almost a daily basis i earn CDG hundreds of dollars, and im not even one of their top callers. In fact, the hundreds i earn doesnt even seem to be enough for these wolves, as i am consantly being hounded to "Make More!" The problem that CDG made when keeping all that money, is that they give their actual callers no incentives to do better. If i made 5 dollars, they complain the same as if i made 5,000. Managers, who dont do diddly as far as calling, rarely have any positive reinforcement for their callers. Its always talk louder, or, when they say i cant do it rebuttal them to a lower spot. We're talking 90 - 100 year old people that we call, who mostly are tricked into feeling sorry so they have to give.

The reason for this post is, that CDG has been involved in numerous lawsuits with the FTC for misrepresentation. If you visit ftc.gov/opa/1998/03/cdg.shtm_ youll find a website for the FTC stating that CDG misrepresented consumers by telling them that contributions will provide bullet proof vests, benefits for dead officers families, and just generally help out police officers in PA.

In reality, the FTC claims that virtually NO money ever made it to the FOP. For all you consumers, and so you know what to look out for, im going to post a typical script that callers read to "leads" as the company refers to them. If you receive any phone call such as this PLEASE do not donate. Your money will never make it to the FOP, or the Firemen, or the Veterans. The pitch is as follows:

HI MY NAME IS ___________, AND THIS CALL MAY BE RECORDED FOR YOUR PROTECTION.

_______,
Just last year when three brave officers were killed in the line of duty, Supporter donations permitted the STATE FOP to represent the surviving families. Their Efforts ensured that those families recieved all the benefits they were entitled to under the law.

AS A PAID SOLICITOR WITH CIVIC, Im going to send you the brand new 2007 Card and Decal (or Active Supporter Card or Silver Foil Emblem) Please accept this in honor of these fallen officers.

Now ________,
The Uppercase words are prompts that we MUST read before asking for money.

There are also many rebuttals we are given to present people who decline or arent so sure. Im not going to go into detail so if anyone would like to know the exact Rebuttals and pitches for the other organizations, i have them all. The thing that gets me is CDG had a lawsuit for misrepresentation by telling people donations benefitted fallen officers families, so why do we still say it? This lawsuit was in 1998 and its now near the end of 2007. Why do we still tell everyone our donations help out officers at all?

Unfortunately i cannot confirm this since my call center is in PA, but apparently there was another chapter in orgegon who raised money for firefighters, and many people were glad to support. The bitter truth? Out of the 900,000 raised, a whopping 93,715 went to help those poor firefighters. See the problem is the organizations they help may not be such bad people, but the group they decide to handle their finances are greedy money hungry pigs.

CDG has a lot of problems, and the main ones being they hire anyone off of the streets, no urinalysis, no backround check, heck i could have been released for a murder just yesterday and they would give me a job. CDG targets low residential and undernourished economies to set up their offices. You drop a CDG in the middle a city with low employment rates, and people will be jumping there way down to apply. Many people wouldnt turn down 12 - 15 dollars an hour, especially cons, highschool dropouts and so on. They post recruitment signs in low income areas that have flashy 12 AN HOUR!!!!!! BENEFITS, FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE, and all that rif raf.

I know how it works, Ive worked there a long time and i know exactly how it works. I want people to be aware that REAL Contributable groups shouldnt call you and sell you into a donation, you should call them.

Bottom line. Were selling people things that they never asked for, and in a border line illegal way. My advice? Whenever they call you dont be rude, dont joke, just kindly ask to be taked off the list, and if they call again after that, contact your attorney. Thanks for your time people and watch out: They'll get to you sooner than later

Teleschemes
New Cumberland, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.