Telemarketing Calls

alleycat · Sep 12, 2009

Has anyone else seen an increase in telemarketing calls? I'm getting them from India even though I'm on the "Do not calls" lists.

Anyway, they will only wait for three or four rings. I've told my friends that if they call me to let the phone ring for at least seven or eight times. I'm not answering any calls until after the third or four ring.

Jersey Chick · Sep 12, 2009

That's why God invented Caller ID -

If I don't recognize the number, or it comes up Unavailable, I don't answer.

We only get a few, though. I haven't seen an increase, except maybe for the scamming telemarketers.

alleycat · Sep 12, 2009

My trouble is that my cordless is usually on the charger. I have to get up to see the caller ID, unless I just happen to be sitting in the chair next to the phone. Now I just wait for the fifth ring to even start for the phone.

Maryn · Sep 12, 2009

Caller ID lets you report them to the government, but without it, you're fairly helpless.

My state was the first one to have this law, and we have been on it since it existed--but we still get these calls occasionally. ("This is about your credit card/auto loan. There's nothing wrong, but we have important information...") on the land line, which doesn't have caller ID.

But, as luck would have it, our telemarketers appear to be US-based, andthe people who've got caller ID are reporting them. I'm not getting nearly as many as I have in the past.

Maryn, who has come to hate the telephone

brainstorm77 · Sep 12, 2009

Do not call lists are bull. Since placing my name on Canada's do not call list, I've been getting more calls than ever.

rhymegirl · Sep 12, 2009

alleycat said:
Has anyone else seen an increase in telemarketing calls? I'm getting them from India even though I'm on the "Do not calls" lists.

Anyway, they will only wait for three or four rings. I've told my friends that if they call me to let the phone ring for at least seven or eight times. I'm not answering any calls until after the third or four ring.

Rats.

I've been trying to call Mr. Allaycat to try to get him to buy my products. But he is not answering his telephone. Perhaps I will flood his inbox with lots of spam.

Ravenlocks · Sep 12, 2009

I'm on the "Do Not Call" list too, but my house phone still rings several times a day. Since everybody I want to talk to calls on my cell phone, I know these are telemarketers. I never pick up.

One time I did, though. The woman on the other end couldn't understand me when I asked if she was trying to sell me something. She kept trying to launch into her spiel. Finally I repeated my question slowly so she could get it. Was she trying to sell me something? She said, "Yes." I said, "Thanks, I'm not interested," and hung up.

Fave telemarketing call ever.

alleycat · Sep 12, 2009

Maryn said:
Maryn, who has come to hate the telephone

Me too.

alleycat · Sep 12, 2009

Maryn said:
Caller ID lets you report them to the government, but without it, you're fairly helpless.

One time someone got my telephone number put into their system as a fax number. No ID on the calls.

When I tried to get the phone company to help me block the calls, let's just say they were less than helpful.

Jersey Chick · Sep 12, 2009

I had that phone no./fax no. problem at my old number. Drove me crazy.

The best was when I got my first phone number - apparently some guy named Parker had it before me, and he wasn't big on paying his bills. I spent months trying to convince people that not only was I not him, but I didn't know him, either.

Then there was the collection agency that called me in search of my neighbor. I asked the woman how she got my number since I was on a hi/bye basis with the neighbor on a good day. We weren't friends, only barely knew each other. The collections woman told me she did an address search and was calling everyone in our townhouse court.

I'm sure I was NOT the only somewhat miffed person that day. I don't give a damn if the neighbors pay their bills and I am NOT about to do a collections person's job for them (yes, the woman actually asked me to talk to the neighbor. Um, right. and I would do this why???)

regdog · Sep 12, 2009

One of the problems is if the caller is someone like your bank, the Do Not Call doesn't apply to them.

If when you answer no one is there right away hang up. The computer has dialed and the telemarketer has to get on the line.

Or you can do what I like to do.

I just use the lines from my favorite philosopher Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes

Phone Rings

Me: Hello

Telemarketer: Hello is Ms So and So in?

Me: Who is calling please?

Telemarketer: It's just your daily annoying telemarketing call.

Me: I'd like to order a large pizza.

Telemarketer: What?

Me: Oh, I'm sorry, you must have dialed the wrong number.

**Click**

alleycat · Sep 12, 2009

I think I've found an add-on service that might just work to eliminate the problem. I don't like paying for this stuff just to keep telemarketers from calling me, but what the heck.

;-)

rhymegirl · Sep 12, 2009

Mr. Allaycat! You seem to be ignoring my posts!

I have very good swampland available for you.

Call back at 1-800-SWAMPEY. Very important!

alleycat · Sep 12, 2009

rhymegirl said:
Mr. Allaycat! You seem to be ignoring my posts!

I have very good swampland available for you.

Call back at 1-800-SWAMPEY. Very important!

As long as it's good swampland. I don't want any of that swampland where the neighbors complain if you have chickens in the house, or where those pesky revenue agents come poking around.

MaryMumsy · Sep 12, 2009

regdog said:
One of the problems is if the caller is someone like your bank, the Do Not Call doesn't apply to them.

That is partly true. We were getting numerous calls from Wells Fargo. I finally told one of the callers (not from India, btw) that we had all the products and services from WF we were interested in, and if we wanted more we would go to our branch to inquire. He asked if we wanted to be on their internal do not call list. I said yes, and we haven't had a call from them in months. Related, my MIL is old and in poor health. My hubby handles all her financial affairs with BofA. Got rid of them too. Told the last caller she was deaf and unable to speak on the phone (sort of true), they have stopped calling too.

The ones I haven't been able to get rid of yet are the local home services companies wanting to repair my roof, paint my house, replace my windows, etc etc etc.

MM

benbradley · Sep 12, 2009

Maryn said:
Caller ID lets you report them to the government, but without it, you're fairly helpless.

The phone number given on Caller ID can be faked, and the people who most often do this are, of course, telemarketers.

Maryn said:
But, as luck would have it, our telemarketers appear to be US-based, andthe people who've got caller ID are reporting them. I'm not getting nearly as many as I have in the past.

Maryn, who has come to hate the telephone

You should hate those who abuse it, not the telephone itself!

regdog said:
One of the problems is if the caller is someone like your bank, the Do Not Call doesn't apply to them.
The do-not-call law has a loophole of a "prior business relationship" - any entity you've done business with within the last 18 months can legally "telemarket" to you.

One I recall was clearly an international call, and I could barely understand the man talking because of his strong accent, but I did understand "twenty five million United States dollars" and that's when I hung up. I already get plenty of spams from those guys. Makes me wanna join the 419 eater people.

benbradley · Sep 12, 2009

MaryMumsy said:
...
The ones I haven't been able to get rid of yet are the local home services companies wanting to repair my roof, paint my house, replace my windows, etc etc etc.

MM

These are local business?

Got twitter?

@MaryMumsy "Just got yet another unwanted telemarketing call from Joe's Fine Windows And Roofing."

Calla Lily · Sep 12, 2009

When they ask for me, I always say, "Who's calling, please?" (That's my one moment of politeness.) As soon as I realize it's not the soccer ref scheduler or someone from the kids' schools, I hang up. No "Not interested," no "We don't accept telemarketing calls." Nothing. My very limited free time is not worth even the 10 seconds of ranting I'd like to do. Just--click. And I get on with my life.

Arisa81 · Sep 12, 2009

Just in the past few days I have been getting 3-4 calls a day after not getting any for a while. I just don't answer. Thank goodness for caller ID.

bettielee · Sep 13, 2009

Me too, alleycat. Even on my cell phone! It's inhuman....

kayleamay · Sep 13, 2009

The beauty of having a 13 year old daughter with Down's is that when telemarketer's call I can just say "Hey kiddo, it's for you!" and hand her the phone.

She babbles about how she's in love with Edward from Twilight and before you know it they hang up. It's a win/win. I don't have to talk to them and my daughter thinks she's the most popular girl in town.

rhymegirl · Sep 13, 2009

alleycat said:
As long as it's good swampland. I don't want any of that swampland where the neighbors complain if you have chickens in the house, or where those pesky revenue agents come poking around.

If you call RIGHT NOW, we will throw in some free chickens and revenuers!

KTC · Sep 13, 2009

alleycat said:
Has anyone else seen an increase in telemarketing calls? I'm getting them from India even though I'm on the "Do not calls" lists.

Anyway, they will only wait for three or four rings. I've told my friends that if they call me to let the phone ring for at least seven or eight times. I'm not answering any calls until after the third or four ring.

i'm on the do not call list and there's been no change in the frequency. ALL THE FUCKING TIME is the frequency.

KTC · Sep 13, 2009

kayleamay said:
The beauty of having a 13 year old daughter with Down's is that when telemarketer's call I can just say "Hey kiddo, it's for you!" and hand her the phone.

She babbles about how she's in love with Edward from Twilight and before you know it they hang up. It's a win/win. I don't have to talk to them and my daughter thinks she's the most popular girl in town.

i do believe i just wet myself laughing.

kayleamay · Sep 13, 2009

KTC...did you notice that when your avatar turned all spiritual looking...your threads started to die? Hmmm.....interesting. *leaves forum to look for avvi of the Pope to use for social experiment.*

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