Telemarketers Get Big Cut of Money Raised in Oklahoma

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY -- If you gave money to a telemarketing company working for an Oklahoma charity, chances are that less than 25 cents of every dollar donated went for the cause, according to the results of a recent investigation.

Information on file with the Oklahoma secretary of state and Internal Revenue Service shows that most contracts call for professional telemarketers to pocket more than 75 percent of the donations they solicit for Oklahoma charities.

An investigation by The Oklahoman of records filed in 2009 and 2010 found that a few of the telemarketers keep as much as 90 percent of the funds they collect. But officials with state-based charities contracting with telemarketers say it's worth it because the solicitors pay the costs for call centers and employees.