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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
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    5,065

    Damn telemarketers!!!

    I just moved to a new house... this house gets so many calls from telemarketers it's not even funny. My old house got none.

    I'm sitting here posting at WHT and a telemarketer from ADT calls me and I immediately say "I'm not interested" and hang up. He then calls me right back and tells me they have a HUGE promotion... I then yell "Did you not hear me the first time, I'm NOT interested. Don't call here again!". Click.

    He proceeds to have an attitude problem and calls me a third time... I yelled so loud I almost lost my voice and he almost lost his hearing. Great fun

    Rant over... I now await the next one.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Toronto, ON
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    3,446
    Hmmm I dont understand you've changed phone numbers ?
    Jean-Pierre Abboud / I'm the TekGURU
    www.Gotekky.com / Managed hosting solutions / AS63447
    Web Hosting, VPS Hosting, Dedicated Servers

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Duluth MN
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    3,863
    Did you move to a new house in the same city? And you couldn't keep your old phone number?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
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    5,065
    I could have kept the same number but didn't think about it because I'm one of those brainy ones.

    It's not that big of a deal really, I just went from no telemarketers to about 3 a day. Most don't have the nerve to call me repeatedly like this one just did.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
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    UK
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    In future, just say whatever you want to them, a lot of call centers have Caller HangUp policies, where their operators can't hang up until you finish the phone call.
    If you get that happening again, immediately ask to be put through to his shift supervisor, ask for a list of their outbound numbers, contact your provider and ask them to immediately block all of those numbers.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
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    Top Secret
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    You can also register for the federal do not call list , which will take care of most of those creeps. Unfortunately, there's like a 90 day waiting period, but once you're registered, they can't call you to "sell" anything.

    What's worse is telemarketers calling my cell. Even though the number is listed, that doesn't prevent "government" calls (such as election campaigns), and around election time last year, I got literally swamped with those kinds of calls, all day long. I think I went through 5-10 a day. Of course they're all "private" numbers ;(
    Tom Whiting, WHMCS Guru extraordinaire
    Linux problems? WHMCS Problems? Give me a shout
    Check out my WHMCS Addons

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
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    England
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    Next time they call, blow very hard into the phone so they go near-deaf on the other end. They won't call back again as it may have a detrimental effect on their health .
    <?php include_once('signature'); ?>

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
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    Let's see.....
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    I usually tell them they got the fax number to an C-store like AM/PM. That usually wipes the number off.

    Using the "Fax" thing, I had a couple call to see if I was getting the newpaper. I said yes and we get tons of them. They say "huh?" I then tell them the fax number thing.
    73's, Kim
    Everything happens for a reason I make up.

  9. #9
    Originally posted by N9ne
    Next time they call, blow very hard into the phone so they go near-deaf on the other end. They won't call back again as it may have a detrimental effect on their health .
    A female friend who was bothered by an obscene phone caller tried something similar. The police told her to get a whistle and blow it into the receiver the next time the obscene caller phoned.

    When the time came she blew hard and then hung up. A little while later the phone rang again and after she said hello she found herself a victim once again as the obscene phone caller blew his own whistle into the phone.

    Since getting on the Federal Do Not Call list the sales calls have stopped. So have those calls where the phone is dead when you answer (turns out that it boiler rooms have auto dialers that makes multiple calls and the first person who answers gets the sales pitch.)

    In the meantime keep in mind that time is money to these guys. The longer you keep them on the phone the more money they loose. I used to tell them that I was happy that they called because I'm a lonely guy and want someone to talk to and then launched into the wonderful things my cat was doing (I don't have a cat) and other stupid things. The number of calls rapidly declined.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
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    UK
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    If you really want to be out of order, buy an Audio Technicians Line Testing Kit, plug it into a microphone / headset jack on your phone, run the line-testing frequency, and it'll kill their ears!

  11. #11
    Originally posted by Joseph_M
    If you really want to be out of order, buy an Audio Technicians Line Testing Kit, plug it into a microphone / headset jack on your phone, run the line-testing frequency, and it'll kill their ears!
    What the telemarketer is doing isn't illegal, but intentionally causing bodily injury could be consider to be. Someone could claim to have a hearing loss and come after you in court. (Remember the farmer who set up a shot gun to discourage burglers and ended up loosing his farm to the invader.)

  12. #12
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    Jun 2004
    Location
    Boise, ID U.S.A.
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    Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, it was illegal for the teleparasite to call back after you told them not to. You should have taken all data about the company and submitted a report to the office of your state Attorney General. If they refuse to identify themselves it can also be considered a harrassing call, which you report to your local police department.

    The Do-not-call list does reduce the numbers of these creeps. Politicians, surveys, and "charities" are still exempt. The politicians don't want to deprive themselves of teleparasite services. I put "charities" in quotes, because I notice a "Charity" never leaves a message about how to donate. Why is that? Because if the donation were simply sent to the charity, there would be no commission for the telemarketer.

    The phone company can probably sell you a filtering announcement, but the effectiveness may be disappointing, because the teleparasites have adapted to it, and probably with the phone company's help. The same phone companies that sell us caller-id are also selling the teleparasites "out of area" numbers.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Finland
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    155
    I just say something like "tell me more" and put my phone on the table and continue whatever I'm doing, the person keeps yapping for a few minutes untill he/she realizes that there is no one listening, but that really isn't my problem .

    Sometimes they have the number hidden so I right away suspect something. They usually ask something like "Is this Niklas?" and I tend to reply "maybe, whats it about?" and if they are tele marketers then I just reply "No, you got the wrong number"

    You can actually have quite a lot of fun with these guys, just be creative

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    England
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    Originally posted by Niklas
    <snip>

    You can actually have quite a lot of fun with these guys, just be creative
    That's true . I've used such excuses as I have a house with no windows, I'm homeless, and soon I won't have a phone .
    <?php include_once('signature'); ?>

  15. #15
    Originally posted by Disgruntled
    Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, it was illegal for the teleparasite to call back after you told them not to.
    I bought a little device at Best Buys that plugs into the phone and when the button is pressed an authorative voice tells the caller that, "This number does not accept this type of call...don't call again."

    It's been so long since I've had to use it that I almost forgot about it.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
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    The crap that telemarketers will employ is absolutely hillarious at times. This actually happened to me at one point.
    Telemarketer: Is this Mr. so and so?
    Me: Nope
    Telemarketer: Is Mr. So and so about?
    Me: Nope, you have the wrong number.
    Telemarketer: I bet you're really Mr. So and So
    Me: Nope. Now, take me off of this calling list immediately and never call me again.
    -=click=-
    Hour later
    Telemarketer (same number, same company): Is this Mr. so and so?
    same thing
    Next DAY!
    Telemarketer (same number, etc): Is this Mr. So and so?
    Finally, I gave up and gave their manager a good chewing out, explaining the multiple violations of the TCPA that they had just commited in the past few days, demanding that my phone number be removed from their list immediately. Haven't heard from 'em since

    Sad thing? It was someone calling on behalf of Readers Digest, one of the larger , and supposedly more reputable companies out there.

    Telemarketers don't give a damn if they upset you, in fact they look forward to doing it, because when upset, people tend to make rash decisions, and do anything to get someone off the phone.
    Tom Whiting, WHMCS Guru extraordinaire
    Linux problems? WHMCS Problems? Give me a shout
    Check out my WHMCS Addons

  17. #17
    Originally posted by linux-tech
    Telemarketers don't give a damn if they upset you, in fact they look forward to doing it, because when upset, people tend to make rash decisions, and do anything to get someone off the phone.
    You might already be aware that some states have a work program that employs prisoners to make these calls.

    What's worse is that they even take credit card information!

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Fort Worth, TX
    Posts
    2,586
    www.donotcall.gov

    Is nice

    To respond to linux-tech's comment.. I work with telemarketers.. and I must disagree with you on this. 100% of our sales people (over 25 now) all would rather have someone hang up on them right away, then string them on for 10 minutes then finally say "NO".

    Its a lot quicker and easier to just say "no, thanks" and hang up.. nearly all telemarketers will appreciate this. If not.. well they aren't very good sales people to begin with.
    www.JGRoboMarketing.com / "Automate. Grow. Repeat"
    █ Office: (800) 959-0182 / A KEAP Certified Developer (KCD)

  19. #19
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    Jun 2003
    Location
    FT Worth, TX
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    5,096
    if a telemarketer calls me and is being rude i'll just blast music into the phone for 5 minutes and they usually in up hanging up. I've haven't had the problem since were signed up under the do not call list.

    register: http://www.donotcall.gov

    if they keep calling you after the alotted time threaten to contact the FCC.
    Kerry Jones

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    94
    Anyone have and know what to do about those damn automated dialers where you pick up the phone, say hello only to be greeted by some ******* machine.

  21. #21
    Originally posted by RangerOfFire
    Anyone have and know what to do about those damn automated dialers where you pick up the phone, say hello only to be greeted by some ******* machine.
    Assuming it is a telemarkter the only way I know is to have caller id. Most often the number displayed will be something weird like 333, etc..

    In fact it got to a point where I told friends that they had to make their phone number visible or I wasn't going to pick up the phone. I think they had to enter "#86" to temporairly unblock their number. (Anyone know for sure?)

    It was so bad that I was about to pay the phone company for their call block notification service but the DNC program started and solved the problem. The call block notification service entailed a recorded announcement telling the caller that calls were not accepted from blocked numbers and that they would have to phone back with first dialing (#86?).

    The best thing to do is get on the government's Do Not Call list.
    Last edited by Storyman; 05-03-2005 at 04:18 PM.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    5,065
    Interesting, I had no idea about www.donotcall.gov ... I'm a bit slow.

    I added my mother's phone number on it as well as my own... she gets tons and tons of telemarketers calling where she lives. Curious to see if this really helps...

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    FT Worth, TX
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    5,096
    hey, I got an idea. why not tell them that you're only allowed to accept faxes and give them the fax number of the FCC instead? I'm wondering if this would be illegal or legal. Otherwise, it would be very good proof of the telemarketers calling our houses.
    Kerry Jones

  24. #24
    Originally posted by Kerry Jones
    hey, I got an idea. why not tell them that you're only allowed to accept faxes and give them the fax number of the FCC instead? I'm wondering if this would be illegal or legal. Otherwise, it would be very good proof of the telemarketers calling our houses.
    Interesting idea, but... there isn't really a violation in regards to the faxing because you requsted the fax. In fact an agrument could be made that you are the violator because you knowingly caused the FCC to be harrassed.

    Think of it this way. What if you told them to send the fax to an ex-lover. I think you'll agree that it could be construed as harrassment.
    Last edited by Storyman; 05-03-2005 at 04:36 PM.

  25. #25
    Originally posted by Frosty
    Interesting, I had no idea about www.donotcall.gov ... I'm a bit slow.

    I added my mother's phone number on it as well as my own... she gets tons and tons of telemarketers calling where she lives. Curious to see if this really helps...
    While you are at it you might also want to get on the Credit Bureau's Contact List Removal in case you get those unsolicated credit applications. Start by phoning: (888) 567-8688

    They will want some personal information. Once I verified that it wasn't some scam to get the information, I gave it.

    About a week later a letter arrives. You've got to follow the directions exactly as listed in the letter, which I believe only requires that it be returned within a specified time period and must be signed and dated.

    It wasn't long after that the unsolicated mailings stopped.

    I know that there is also a contact address to stop junk mail, but frankly I enjoy reading some of the ads and (in most cases) toss it into the round file. I don't feel that I'm being held hostage by the junk mailers. The only junk mail I don't want are those credit apps. Who know who will get their hands on them.

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