ATTENTION CHARITABLE
 AMERICANS:

According to the Federal Trade Commission, Civic Development Group has violated the Telemarketing Sales Rule of the USA PATRIOT ACT.  The following is taken from the September 2007 FTC complaint against CDG:

The Rule became effective on December 31, 1995. On January 29, 2003, the Commission amended the Rule to implement the “Crimes Against Charitable Americans” provisions of the USA PATRIOT ACT, Pub. L. No. 107-56, 115 Stat.396 (2001), to, among other things, extend portions of the Rule to cover practices by professional telemarketers to induce charitable contributions through the use of more than one interstate telephone call.

Read: USA v CDG to learn more

These "Crimes Against Charitable Americans" have helped CDG owners pay for campaign contributions to Political Action Committees, lobbying expenses, and luxurious mansions.  It seems that CDG owner David Keezer and his wife Lori are selling their 4.8 million dollar mansion in Monmouth Beach, NJ , just as they settle into their 7.35 million dollar mansion in Boca Raton.  Meanwhile, Florida residents continue to make complaints about telephone solicitations CDG makes on behalf of the Florida Highway Patrol Command Officers Association.

Back in New Jersey, the NJ Police Benevolent Association has declared war on telemarketers.

Civic Development Group 

aka,

CDG Management LLC

Millenium Teleservices

Civic Development Group is America's largest professional telemarketing fund-raiser for non-profit  organizations,  including: Fraternal Order of Police, The International Union of Police Association (IUPA), Several State Trooper Organizations, The California Organization of Police and Sheriffs (COPS), Keystone Paralyzed Veterans, Disabled Veterans Associations, The Cancer Survivors Fund and hundreds more.  CDG keeps the overwhelming majority, usually about 80%, of the funds raised on behalf of these non-profit groups.  CDG is a for profit solicitor with over 60 fundraising centers throughout the US and Canada.  To see if CDG is operating a call center in your area, check out CDG's job recruitment website, www.1888974jobs.com and scroll down to the call center location box.  

 I have a long history with Civic Development Group, first as an employee, then as a whistle blower, and again as an employee working undercover to investigate recent misleading fundraising practices.  Given my history with CDG, I am very familiar with many unethical and allegedly illegal solicitation techniques used by CDG to raise funds for hundreds of non-profit groups.  The FTC and several State Attorney Generals have taken CDG to court for their actions.  CDG usually agrees to pay large fees to resolve the complaint without admitting wrong-doing. 

If you have been called by CDG, the number on your caller id may be 732-512-9800.  Click here to view consumer complaints about solicitations from this number.

The organizations listed below have used Civic Development Group to raise funds on their behalf. 

ALABAMA STATE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE

CALIFORNIA ORGANIZATION OF POLICE AND SHERIFFS (COPS)

The COPS fundraising center is managed by CDG and is located in Morgantown, WV.  This fundraising center is currently under investigation. 

PROFESSIONAL PEACE OFFICERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

CALIFORNIA STATE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION

FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE, CALIFORNIA STATE LODGE

LOS ANGELES COUNTY LODGE NUMBER 1, FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE

THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF POLICE ASSOCIATIONS (IUPA)

The IUPA is based in Florida, but CDG manages an IUPA fundraising center near Canton, OH.  There is an activist website dedicated to exposing IUPA's unethical fundraising practices.  Visit WWW.POLICINGIUPA.ORG to learn more about IUPA. 

FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE(official state online fundraising center)

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and READ THE FINE PRINT, it states that the website is administered by CDG Management LLC under the permission of the GRAND LODGE FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE.

FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE EMPIRE STATE LODGE

FIRE VICTIMS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

OHIO TROOPERS COALITION

CDG manages a fundraising center for the Ohio Troopers Coalition.  The fundraising center is located in Portsmouth, OH.  A local Professor at Shawnee State in Portsmouth, OH was reminded of Communist Poland after being interrogated for taking a photograph of the "Troopers" fundraising center.  (scroll down to"A Rotten Organization" and "Drive-by shooting" to read about his experience)The COLUMBUS DISPATCH has exposed some of their unethical practices and  the Ohio Attorney General has filed a suit against CDG. 

PENNSYLVANIA CHIEFS OF POLICE

VIRGINIA STATE POLICE ASSOCIATION 

WEST VIRGINIA TROOPERS ASSOCIATION, INC.

WEST VIRGINIA DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION 

WEST VIRGINIA FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE STATE LODGE

PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS OF WEST VIRGINIA

SOUTH CAROLINA TROOPERS ASSOCIATION

MICHIGAN STATE FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION

KEYSTONE PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA

DISABLED VETERANS ASSOCIATIONS

CANCER SURVIVORS' FUND

Cancer Survivors' Fund Chairperson Yeshim Yonter has the audacity to claim that telephone solicitations on their behalf are not coming from professional fundraisers.  Civic Development Group runs a Cancer Survivors' Fund call center in Parkersburg, WV.  I used to get paid to raise funds on behalf of the Cancer Survivors Fund.  Nobody in the office was a volunteer.  How is that not professional fundraising?  The Pennsylvania Secretary of State shows that 89.17% of money raised in the name of cancer patients was actually spent on "fundraising costs".(search charity database for Cancer Survivors' fund) The Washington Secretary of State lists Civic Development Group as professional fundraiser on behalf of the Cancer Survivors' Fund.  The Kentucky State Attorney General lists a CDG as a fundraiser for CSF as well. (scroll down alphabetically to Cancer Survivors' Fund)  HOW IS THIS LEGAL!!!!!?????

CANCER FUND OF AMERICA

(THIS IS NOT THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY)