Aaron's Posterous

Random bits from an aspiring planner's trip through graduate school…

My letter and call to Working America about their e-mail campaign

So this is the letter that I sent back to Working America to express my displeasure with their e-mail campaign (see http://bit.ly/5qDJ11). I also called them to ask why they did this, but as expected, all I got was a receptionist that could politely remove me from the list (which I have already done). She was nice, though, and I feel a bit sorry for her because I can't believe that I'm the first phone call that she's gotten on this.

She did say that all of the e-mails are passed through their legal department for review before being sent out. I'm sure they do that, but as I said to her, just because it's legal doesn't mean it's the right thing to do... obviously.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <address removed>
Date: Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 12:08 PM
Subject: Fwd: Final Notice - Payment Past Due
To: info@workingamerica.org


Hello-

I'm writing to express my disappointment and frustration with your organization's decision to resort to trickery and deceit in your latest email campaign attached below. 

Seeing an email with the subject line "final notice - payment past due" will indeed prompt recipients to open the message, but using such language in an appeal for funds and support is completely inappropriate. In my view, these tactics are entirely unnecessary and counterproductive for your cause. Readers know very well when they've been tricked, and I doubt that many will then act to send money in response to being tricked in this manner. Some may, in fact, act to alert regulators to your poor decisions instead of acting in support of your campaign -- some may feel that your actions in this instance are illegal or at the very least unethical, and I would tend to agree.

Although I support your organization's positions in general, I refuse to support an organization that apparently holds little regard for its supporters by engaging in this sort of behavior. I have unsubscribed from your e-mail list and do not wish to receive further campaign communication of any type from your group, although I would appreciate a personal response to this complaint.

Please make better choices in the future.


Final Notice - Payment Past Due

Getting e-mail with the subject "Final Notice-Payment Past Due" is alarming enough, but it's total BS when it's a trick. I just got such a message, from Working America, a group affiliated with the AFL-CIO. They want my support (and my money, no doubt) for their cause, which I'm generally in support of, but absolutely not under these circumstances.

It's just deceitful. A trick. I've emailed and called to let them know, and I hope that others will too. 

Here's the message...

From: Working America <workingamerica@aflcio.org>
Date: Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 11:32 AM
Subject: Final Notice - Payment Past Due
To: <address removed>


Working America: Strength in Numbers
Tired of banks loading you up with fees while taking taxpayer money and giving executives huge bonuses? Send a final notice—payment is past due and it's time for the government to rein in the banks.

Dear Working America Supporter,

Wall Street banks threw our economy into crisis. Bailing them out cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. Now, with unemployment at 10 percent, those same Wall Street banks are planning to give six- and even seven-figure bonuses to the executives who created this mess.

It's time to say enough, and send the banks a final notice. Payment is past due on the harm they've done to the economy. Payment is past due on all the ways they've mistreated their customers—from excessive credit card fees to risky mortgages.

We're letting the bankers know: Since they won't rein themselves in, the government is going to have to do it. And we're letting our senators know we want the banks to face consequences for their actions.

  • President Obama's proposed financial crisis responsibility fee on the largest banks will help get back the taxpayer money that bailed out those same banks, without penalizing community banks and small firms.
  • We need a consumer financial protection agency to provide strong oversight so banks can't play Russian roulette with our economy again, and to protect customers from being bled dry.

Click here to let the bankers know this is their final notice. Your message also will go to your senators, to urge them to rein in the banks.

Sincerely,

Working America, AFL-CIO

National Office 815 16th St., N.W. • Washington, DC 20006 • 202-637-5137 • info@workingamerica.org
Copyright © 2009 WORKING AMERICA

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