NT: Telemarketers driving me crazy...

[equinecpa]

As if my phone doesn't ring enough this time of year I'm getting an onslaught of 1-877 and 1-800 calls...I've started answering with "Please do not call again", but 1/2 the time there is not anyone there....and you can't call back...the last number that called was 1-000-000-000...it's 8:53 am and I think I've already had 3 calls this morning!

I'm on the do not call list,..is there anything else that can be done to stop these irritating calls in their tracks?

[Dusty2004]

Call the company

As if my phone doesn't ring enough this time of year I'm getting an onslaught of 1-877 and 1-800 calls...I've started answering with "Please do not call again", but 1/2 the time there is not anyone there....and you can't call back...the last number that called was 1-000-000-000...it's 8:53 am and I think I've already had 3 calls this morning!

I'm on the do not call list,..is there anything else that can be done to stop these irritating calls in their tracks?

Call the actual company who left the message. At some point in the message you usually get a name of the company. Do not call the number they leave find their main number and call it and request to not be called. Also followup with a letter saying the same thing.

Dusty

[Jesse]

Tell the caller "one moment please", hit the hold button and let them sit until they figure out you're not coming back!

A new one that I've been receiving is from some yellow page company wanting to confirm that I do wish to cancel and if so it is VERY important to write down the cancellation number and make note of it on the final invoice I will be receiving for the service up to the cancellation date????? I've never advertised with any yellow pages!

[jeff501]

We have a "charge" for sales calls

A couple of years ago I was having one of those days we all have from time to time. To complicate things further, I must have had three sales people walk in unannounced. The third person kind of caught a bit of grief from me and I told him we have a company policy of charging $75 for a sales call, paid upfront. Plus, the call needed to be scheduled at least a week in advance and we would give them 15 minutes to make their sales pitch with no guarantee of us purchasing anything. I never saw this sales person again.

I even typed up our policy on company letterhead and handed it out a few times. Also had the office staff tell telemarketers our policy. So far, no one has paid and the sales calls pretty much stopped for a while.

Putting the phone down for a long time and making them wait works too.

[Jiggers]

Unknown 800/866 numbers calling

I don't answer.

Also, if you want to see who these companies are, google the number and you may find something about the company.

Also see all the complaints from others...........

[DaveO]

I had a problem with a telemarketer calling for Branson vacations from a Florida number. I waited through the recorded part and asked them nicely to stop calling. When the calls continued I again waited through the recorded part and informed them state law did not allow for robo-calls without an opt-out. The telemarketer informed me that since they were not in my state the law didn’t apply and since I had a business phone they could call back as often as they wanted and there was nothing I could do about it.

I dug out my old referee whistle and placed it by the phone. Next time Branson vacations showed up on the caller ID I waited through the recording until the operator came on. I blew the whistle into the phone as hard as I could, then said “Thank you for calling Dial-a-whistle, please call back anytime for your daily whistle” and then hung up. I never got another call from them. Of course I also filed complaints with the Branson Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau and the Florida Attorney General.

[Roberts]

Those recorded messages drive me nuts. I'll get the same freakin one 2-3 times per day. Whoever the idiot was that thought it was a good idea to start the message with a fog horn needs to be strung up.

The people that walk into my office wanting to sell me crap without an appointment DO get yelled at.

We used to get a call from AT&T / Southwestern Bell at least once per day EVERY WORKING DAY for over 10 years trying to get us to switch (they have finally stopped - bad economy?). If you just hung up, they would automatically call back about 2 minutes later so you HAD to actually say something to them before hanging up.

I operate an investment firm. At least once per day I get a call from a PR firm wanting me to push a particular small cap stock. Drives me nuts when I'm busy.

[dyne]

The FTC announed a new law in September of 2009 which is supposed to stop "robo-calls (recorded messages) but since this problem has become worse since then, the FTC clearly dropped the ball on this. The telemarketers are supposed to obtain a WRITTEN agreement from you before they call, which they are obviously not doing. They can be fined up to $16,000 per call. You can look this up in Google by entering:
FTC RoboCalls.

[Dusty2004]

Relationship

The FTC announed a new law in September of 2009 which is supposed to stop "robo-calls (recorded messages) but since this problem has become worse since then, the FTC clearly dropped the ball on this. The telemarketers are supposed to obtain a WRITTEN agreement from you before they call, which they are obviously not doing. They can be fined up to $16,000 per call. You can look this up in Google by entering:
FTC RoboCalls.

What you say is true but if you already have a relationship with them (you have your phone through Windstream) they can call you.

Dusty

[JG EA]

There's nothing that can be done with recorded calls except to hang up. But people that call and start talking about something:

Never use the word YES. (I got a phony website a decade ago by verifying yes that is my address.)

Ask, What is your name? What company do you represent?

If they are still on the line after that - Please put me on your do not call list.

For nice sounding people I just tell them No thank you. If they keep talking no matter what they say I just say No thank you. Sometimes it takes 3 or so.

[S T]

Surveys

Surveys by telemarketers and I have an unlisted line on the house # - somehow they still retrieve it.

One call came in last week, said this was a survey on "health care" blah, blah,
Told them I don't do survey's on the phone - please remove us from the list
TM said I can't we have a machine that just "random dials"
I said thank you, just figure it out - as I will not respond to yours or anyone else's phone calls that are doing "random" dialing.
Click - Goodbye!

S

[erchess]

Unlisted Phone Numbers

used to be available for people in urban areas in publications known as "City Directories". Last I knew I guess was in the 1990s when I lived in Durham NC, with my parents, my Dad's Aunt and my Mom's parents. The city directory had all of us and our relationships with the phone number and the approximate income and source of income for each of us. I found the city directory for all NC cities and most major US cities at the Durham public library.

[Roberts]

The FTC announed a new law in September of 2009 which is supposed to stop "robo-calls (recorded messages) but since this problem has become worse since then, the FTC clearly dropped the ball on this. The telemarketers are supposed to obtain a WRITTEN agreement from you before they call, which they are obviously not doing. They can be fined up to $16,000 per call. You can look this up in Google by entering:
FTC RoboCalls.

I may be wrong but I don't think robocalls are included for corporate phones numbers. I don't have a home number (just my cell) so I don't have a problem with robocalls at home.

My state allows individuals to get on a do-not call list. It works very well and eliminated virtually 100% of the solicitations where I didn't have an ongoing relationship with the company. It was pretty rare when I'd get a phone call after that which made me realize I really didn't need the home phone!

[Ross]

I get calls asking to donate to make a wish, the police, fire dept., etc. I just tell them, "sorry, but I'm unemployed". Also, after they go on and on, I say, I have a question. Then I ask them "What are you wearing?". Usually they say "What?!?" Then I just hang up on them. .

[jeff501]

I got a call at home from a telemarketer one day and I asked how they got through as I don't even have a telephone. The person on the other end stammered for a second and just hung up.

In Indiana charities, newspapers and insurance companies are exempt from the do not call law for some reason. It irritates me each time when they call the caller ID says unavailable, blocked, etc. I ask them why they feel the need to block their number when calling as it does nothing to establish their credibility with me. They never seem to have an answer.