I just spent 34.72 on 4 lightbulbs...am I nuts?

[Old and In the Way]

I just got a call from someone who telemarkets for something called the Blind and Handicapped Workers of America. I happen to have a circuit of 3 bulbs in the cellar that are always blowing lightbulbs and their spiel is that they are made with 7 filaments instead of 2. They are guaranteed for 5 years....so, I figured, why not....sounds like a good cause.

Tell me this isn't a con, though. No upfront cash, pay by check after receipt.

[MercutioATC]

1. Does anybody else see the irony in the blind selling light bulbs?

Sorry, that was tasteless.

...it made ME smile, though.

[phillybri]

3. That was a funny joke...don't feel guilty...

Right there with selling houses near airports to deaf people...:evilgrin:

[DaveFL99]

9. That's a joke ?

Seems reasonable to me.

[matcom]

4. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

thought.the.exact.same.thing.

:7


bbbwwwaaaahhhaaaaa

[Mr. McD]

2. I have bought from them before, it is not a con.

The problem is they keep calling back. They sell other products too.

[neonplaque]

5. Hate to break it to you...

that profossional 'fund-raising' group will keep most of the net-profit ...

You could have gone to Lowes or a hardware store and bought those little flourecent spiral bulbs and saved money -- cheaper than what you paid and energy efficient (low-wattage/high light output) and long lasting... most are 'guaranteed 5 years'

Well, you heart was in the right place.

I never buy anything from telemarketters like this... ever.

Sorry. :(

[Old and In the Way]

6. Oh yeah, I suspected as much.

I asked how much goes to the blind workers...he said 100% -10% to cover the marketing. Can't wait till the SO comes home and hears about this.....

[mongo]

7. They are not a con - and the bulbs are good and long-lasting

But if your are constantly blowing bulbs on a circuit, I would start taking the fixtures apart and looking for an intermittant short, or a grounding issue.

We have a ceiling fan fixture that used to blows bulbs all the time, and I didn't want to replace it. We put compact flouresents in there and they do not blow. So I wouldn't put your new light bulbs (which are incandescent) in your cellar fixtures.

[Old and In the Way]

14. I wired the circuit myself.

Actually, I did the whole house. I suspect that you're right on the diagnosis (intermittant short). I plan on retracing the whole circuit. There hooked in parallel, but all 3 seem to blow way too quick, never at the same time, though.

[DebJ]

8. I used to work for them in 1971, believe it or not, in

Takoma Park, Maryland (near Washington, D.C.). I was only 15 at the time and no one else would hire me. I made less then minimum wage, I believe, something like 70 cents an hour, plus commission, which I never got, because you had to sell a ridiculous amount of the very expensive product. Our office was in a very old and poorly cared for building. Cockroaches crawled everywhere while we worked. The lightbulb in the hall, ironically, went out every few days, it seemed...but that was probably a wiring program. Of course, that was 33 years ago....funny to see they are still around.
How nice of you to help out the person on the phone.

[Old and In the Way]

12. Thanks...I usually don't bite on the telemarketing calls, but I

had this twinge of conscience that said I ought to do it.

[Hoping4Change]

10. I googled and didn't find any org by that name.. Below are contact

numbers for the American Foundation for the Blind, they could probably tell you if this is legit because on the phone anyone could claim he or she was blind. I think this it is suspicious that the org doesn't have a website.


AFB Information Center
Tel: (800) AFB-LINE (800-232-5463)
E-mail: [e-mail]


AFB Headquarters
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300
New York, NY 10001

[Old and In the Way]

11. Thanks.

They didn't misrepresent themselves. They did say they were calling on behalf of. I will check them out when I get the bulbs and paperwork though. The downside is where my name will pop-up next.

[Hoping4Change]

13. But if the org doesn't exist how can they be calling on behalf of it?

[Old and In the Way]

16. Good point...not sure I got the exact name right, though.

I will follow-up when the merchandise shows up, though.

[Deja Q]

Well, I spent that much once...

fluorescent bulbs that fit in an incandescent socket. Claimed to last for 5 years, they all blew out after 3 months of low use.

[Deja Q]

15. Well, I spent that much once...

fluorescent bulbs that fit in an incandescent socket. Claimed to last for 5 years, they all blew out after 3 months of low use.

[Westegg]

17. I did this once (same people) and I felt used....

....maybe it's legit. Or semi-legit. I DID get the lightbulbs. They were nothing special. Given the price I paid, I was ripped of, plain and simple. I was 22 then. I'm 40 now, and have long since learned my lesson about dealing with telemarketers.

I don't deal with them at all. There are plenty of legit charities you can give your money to.

[Beaverhausen]

18. This is only job that some handicapped people can do- it is legit

you may have paid more than the bulbs are worth but you are supporting this enterprise.

I got some a few years ago- the person who called was clearly physically challenged but mentally totally OK. He had a great spirit and I couldn't refuse.

[Old and In the Way]

20. Yeah, I think that's about where I am with this, too.

I get 10 calls a week from phone compaines that want to churn my account, I can deal with that, no problem...but when someone says it's a company employing the blind and handicapped...it's a pretty powerful pitch. Must be that liberal, commie soft spot in my head.

[Beaverhausen]

19. oops- dupe sorry