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O/T another telemarketer rant

F

fixerupper

Well-known Member
Yesterday a telemarketer called me at 6:45AM. This morning a telemarketer called me at 7:17AM. I didn't think they could call before 8:AM. Am I right on this? I NEVER answer the home phone during the day because of them but I thought early mornings were safe. I'm gonna get caller ID. I've never had it on the home phone but I will now!

I also re-registered on the do-not-call list. What are the rules for the do-not-call list? I thought I heard once that if you have done business with a company they can keep calling. Jim
 
If you can get caller ID you can probably get the telco provided option that blocks inbound calls without caller ID. Most telemarketing firms go through PBX's that block or screw around with their caller ID.

The "this phone does not accept blocked calls" option screens out some of them with no effort on your part and no (or little) cost to you. My attitude is "if you aren't honest about who you are when you call me, I do not wish to speak to you".

Yes, they can call you, despite the Federal Do Not Call list once there's "an established business relationship". Such firms are still required to have a "no call" list of their own, and honor your request to be put on it.

Firms purporting to do "surveys" can call you, without regard to the Do Not Call list. So can political candidates and charities. The "no blocked calls" option above helps with this.
 
Fixerupper: theoretically, the DNC list gives "lifetime" registration, after it was amended a short time ago to include this, as originally it was only good for (if memory serves) 5 years but it was so overwhelmingly popular and so many people wanted to remain permanently protected that the law was changed. HOWEVER, it has been both my experience and that of other people I know that for whatever reason it seems to be less effective over time. I registered as soon as it became available in my area, but over the last year I noticed an uptick in the number of calls I was getting. As I never answer my phone unless I recognize the number on my caller ID, the main annoyance was having to stop whatever I was doing and go to the phone to see who was calling, but as an experiment, I re-registered my number and over the next couple of months the calls dwindled back down to the one-every-couple-of-weeks level again. I'm leery of putting a block such as David describes on my phone as it would (I believe) block anyone with an unlisted phone number, which several of my friends have, and at any rate I can live with the current volume of calls. Were I you, I'd try re-registering my number as it's free and takes less than 5 minutes before doing anything else, though Caller ID is a very handy and quite inexpensive service and well worth the cost in my opinion.
 
When caller ID shows a telemarketer or other junk call, I've found it effective to answer the phone in Japanese, and speak in Japanese. I'm not fluent in Japanese, but I know enough of the basics to harass telemarketers.

I was responding to one guy in Japanese once, and he kept asking in English if I spoke Spanish. Another guy was stumped, and called his supervisor. The supervisor was also stumped and they wound up hanging up on me.

I figure if you're beset with them anyway, might as well have some fun. And I usually never get a repeat of that particular call.
 
Take care that you do not block cell phone calls that you do want to recieve. Some cell phones like my perpaid Tracfone do display the phone number on caller ID, but not my name.

It seems to be a random deal with cell phones, some show number and name on caller ID, some only the number and a few show neither name or number.
 
I dont remember what it costs,but the telephone company(AT&T for me)can put a block on the line where if it doesnt show a number on caller ID it wont let the call through but it still rings.Even that wont stop all of them,but it cuts them down a lot.
 
(quoted from post at 05:39:08 03/14/09) I also re-registered on the do-not-call list. What are the rules for the do-not-call list?
Click to expand...

They finally established a do-not-call list program in Canada a few years ago, and after a while some people on the list were getting more calls than ever before. It turns out that one of the government agencies was selling the do-not-call list of phone numbers to other companies, including some telemarketing agencies!!

The other thing to remember about do-not-call lists is that many of these call centres are set up overseas, and are simply under contract to make the calls for whatever company is trying to sell you something; therefore they are immune from any prosecution.
 
I get the most hangc ups with asking for the callers name and phone# of the company so I can report harassment calls.
 
I'm going to call the phone company (Iowa Telecom) monday to get the ID set up. But maybe not the block because of certain cell phones? I looked up their website and they do offer the block but I'll have to call them to get the service and of course they're only available M-F.
Usually all of our acquaintances have our cell numbers and some people I do business with only call the cell anyway.

My wife's brothers and sisters (there's fourteen of them)never introduce themselves when they call. They just start talking, so then I ask them who they are and they act put out about it. Caller ID might help family relations a bit. I did re-enter my number in the no-call list.Jim
 
I always ask them what THEIR home phone number is (of course it"s always "against regulations"to give that information out)so I can call back and worry the crap out of them or scam them on their time.
 
(quoted from post at 08:39:08 03/14/09) Yesterday a telemarketer called me at 6:45AM. This morning a telemarketer called me at 7:17AM. I didn't think they could call before 8:AM. Am I right on this? I NEVER answer the home phone during the day because of them but I thought early mornings were safe. I'm gonna get caller ID. I've never had it on the home phone but I will now!

I also re-registered on the do-not-call list. What are the rules for the do-not-call list? I thought I heard once that if you have done business with a company they can keep calling. Jim
Click to expand...

I have reported a number of tele-marketers using the govt website (can't recall the URL). I think you're supposed to get up to $10k for these calls, but I haven't seen any money. :lol: Just got one the other day from a Window company. Told the young kid I was on the list and don't call again. The worst lately has been XM-Sirius radio. We bought a new Saturn that came with a 3 month trial. After it was up, we declined to renew. They were calling my CELLPHONE every couple of days. Every time, they apologized and promised to "make a note on the account". I told them to DELETE the account. I don't like to get irate with the caller as they're just doing a job, but I DID go off on the last XMSirius caller. After I hung up, I kinda felt sorry for her, but the calls have stopped.
 
Like everyone else, I too get those calls. Lots of times I lead them on. I tell them the person is here, and that I'll go get them. Then I set the phone down. After a minute or two, I hear the phone hang up. Kind of fun.
 
Like everyone else, I too get those calls. Lots of times I lead them on. I tell them the person is here, and that I'll go get them. Then I set the phone down. After a minute or two, I hear the phone hang up. Kind of fun.
 
i get the same thing from 'toll free svc. they call 5 times a day, i have never answered it, i am also on the do not call list but as others have said, once on that list you actually get more calls than before, the best thing is the caller id feature, if i dont recognize the number, i dont answer the phone, simple, i did get rid of 1 persistant tella peddler,after i told them not to call and the next shift called me again, i set the phone under the train horns on my kenworth and let'er rip, havent heard back from them
 
Before I was on the n0-call-list I would let them talk to my television kept one guy on for 30 minutes once.
Be careful of this one they call an offer to lower your CC rates and it will only cost you $1000 which they add to your CC they won't say what the lower rate is though. I had real trouble getting rid of them they kept calling back until I threaten to report them.
Walt
 
I"ve seen a marked decrease in those calls since getting on the list. Police societies and politicians are exempt from those rules though. When I get a call, I remind them that I"m on the State and National list, and do you want to continue violating Federal law? Now we still get machine calls, either credit card or auto warranty.
 
I had mentioned I don't answer the home phone during the day. I have heard that some telemarketer calls are placed just to find out when we are home. They have no intention of talking to us at that time. Maybe that's why they are ringing us during the fringe times of the day. The morning before last was the last straw. I'd had a bad night, finally got to sleep at 5:00 in the morn and then the phone rings at 6:45. It's too bad we can't shoot some kind of a death ray back! Jim
 
The way I handle telemarketers is like this:

1. If the guy goes into his sales pitch real fast then I say--(after determining that it is not the police association)
HOLD IT BUDDY!!!! IF YOU EVER CALL HERE AGAIN I WILL RIP YOUR THROAT OUT WITH A STEAK KNIFE, YOU GOT THAT. (he usually hangs up real quick)

2. I have gotten calls of "please buy this newspaper" or that one. I tell her to "NEVER CALL ME AGAIN, OR I WILL SUE YOU---YOU GOT THAT!!!!"

I am real rude to these people. I once had a guy show up to my front door at 8pm in mid-february. (real dark outside) he wanted me to buy restaurant coupons or some crap. I looked out the window and yelled---"whadda want" he says I am selling these coupon books, I say--Yeah so. He says its for kids to play basketball---I then say to this clown-----"I hate basket ball get outta here now" He marched off my front porch real quick. (good thing he was a caucasian)
 
ive learned they hate country. Just ask them to hold and set the phone down next to the radio and walk away.
 
Hello fixerupper,
You may want to register your cell phone as well.
They now starting to send tex messages and even if you don't answer it will cost you for the message. I think around here, with-out a plan, is 15 cents a message.
Guido.
 
I'm with "Goose" , only instead of Japanese......I speak fairly fluent Finnish...It don't take long and they end up hangin' up on me....
 
Good idea. Yesterday my wife's cell phone rang with a recorded telemarketer message. She couldn't even get in a good rebuttal. Jim
 
Been having fun with Blue Hippo , Baltimore, Maryland calls trying to sell new Dells. they want $99.00 initial and a couple weekly pays to establish short credit history before sending computer- but won't send to Wisconsin. The company is the Baltimore Suns crooked business of 2008, the FTC hit them with 5 million settlement/fine, Maryland got 3 million- I keep calling them crooks and they keep talking awhile, eventually they hang up after I indicate they are a bunch of thieves, liars and crooks- give them the local consumer protection agency phone numberto call back. Kind of fun insulting them. The other fun time is asking who's there in German- Wie ist da? Ask for billing address because you charge over $100.00 an hour for research and they will be billed since they called me. RN .
 
I get a kick out of them calling now, When one will call, ill be like " excuse me, could you say that again reeaalll slow, im naked right now and i really liked the sound of your voice saying that" then if that dont scare them off, ill sometimes take the phone into the bathroom, listen to their story, then say yes i am INNNTEERRESSSTED (in a grunting voice, then ending with a sigh of relief flush the toilet for a good sound effect, etc. I just like to have fun with them, Sometimes it dont scare them of still! but its entertaining anyway for a good 5 min or so. Another good one is to say "you know what im busy right now, but if i can get your home phone number ill gladly call you back later, then if they say you cant have their number, be like well then how do you think i feel!
 
I always quickly say that I have this tractor for sale & start to describe it and they go kaput. Word must get around to not call that nut-don't get many such calls any more.
 
Got a interesting way to keep them form calling back, hold the phone up to your mouth and make a fart noise. Seems childish but it works and its really funny particularly if you say" Dang that stints".
 
There is a national do not call list register there and their rules all stated plainly if you read all the other links. Unfortunately all telemarketers do have to register or comply with those there are loop holes just like with anything our governments are involved with!
National Do Not Call Registry
 
I had a call offering vehicle warranites. I told them I had a '91 Ford F250 with 450,000 miles on it and they asked for the VIN. I told them I'd have to go out and get it. I set the phone down, went and fixed and ate my breakfast, came back 20 minutes later and the person was still waiting on the phone!

I had text messaging blocked on my cell and have the cell and home phones on the do not call registry.
 
I kept getting calls from a credit card company wanting me to pay my past due balamce - I couldn't convince them that I wasn't the person they were looking for. Finally, after 5 calls in two weeks, I decided to put in a good word for the poor soul they were trying to reach.

I said, "Look guys, you can't pay your bills and the government is bailing you out. I am one of the taxpayers thats gonna have to cover your stupid a$$ on YOUR past due bills. Your chances of getting my past due amount don't look too good this year and not a helluva lot better next year. But if I can get a government bailout check, you will be the first to know!"

No more collection calls!
 
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