I'm sure you're like me, and telemarketing calls drive you nuts! I just can't understand how this is actually legal. I don't have a problem with ads on TV, radio, or other mediums. The advertisers pay the bulk of the cost of programming or publication. They are providing a service. But my phone is in my home as a convenience, which I pay for. Funny my cell phone never rings with a call from a telemarketer, why should the one in my home?

Thing that most bothers me is I work swing shift, and I have to sleep a lot in the day. My parents, as well as my in-laws are getting up in age, and if my wife isn't home I'd like them to be able to get a hold of me in an emergency. But the phone rings 10 times a day...do I want to change phone companies, need a new credit card, is my basement wet...seems to me if I need something, I go looking for it. You ask them to remove you from their list, but the calls keep coming. I am making it a habit of telling them anymore I will not deal with businesses that use telemarketers. I just don't see how they can get away with doing it, it's just a nuisance!

 

I hear what you're saying!! I got so fed up that I changed my number to an unlisted number and started using my cell phone for everything but internet access. I found it was actually cheaper, too. Cell phones #'s are not published and I haven't got a telemarketer call since. However, the phone company actually charges me for them to NOT give out MY number. What a bunch of morons...

I think the key is to be very frugal with giving your number out. Once you apply for credit-it's all over....it's caller ID time. Or do what I did.

 

Excellent subject. Got caller ID to do away with the phone problem, but hooked up a fax and get at least "3" spam faxes a day. Most have a phone number you can call to get your fax # taken off the auto dialing. What a pain and it seems that more follow after that.

Have any of you used one of those Zappers you hook up to the phone? I'd like to get some opinions before I get one. I assume it'll work with the fax also.

Carlene

 

It's my understanding that the Zapper only works for computer generated calls. So, if you get calls from people who actually dial the phone (there are more than you think!), it won't do a thing. You can tell who makes the computer generated calls by the delay from the other side when you pick up the phone. It has always been a signal for me to hang up.

I would imagine that if the Zapper works, then the telemarketers have the UN-Zapper.

 

To start, I HATE telemarketers also. But, I do understand why they exist and why it is legal. Generally speaking, you can't make it illegal for someone to call your house. Just like it is not illegal for someone to mail something to you. As long as the postage is paid and/or the phone call is paid for, you can't do much about it.

I'm sure the only reason that telemarketers do not call cell-phones is because the owner of the cell-phone has to pay for the call (incoming and outgoing calls). I'm sure the backlash from this would be huge.

Some states have no-call list for telelmarketers. MO is one of them. These are the 'laws' that are trying to make it illegal.

Anyway, as far as the Zapper is concerned. This does only work with computer generated calls. But it does work. You would be surprised by how many calls are computer generated. Basically, this device emits a 'tone' every time any phone on the same line is picked up. This tone is one that 'tells' the computer that the phone number is 'no longer in service'. Telemarketing companies rely on this to 'clean house' with their database... and not waste time on disconnected numbers. To get around the tele-zapper, the phone companie(s) would have to re-standardize their tone(s) for disconnected numbers. I don't see that happening right away. Even if it did, there would be new zappers with the new tone. Hopefully, the telemarketers will just realize those of us with the tele-zapper would not give them business anyway.

No, I don't sell them. I just bought one a few weeks ago... and have seen a lot fewer calls from "Unknown".

 

Having an un-listed,un-published number usually doesn't make any difference.
Telemarketers are given "Banks of numbers" to call.
For example:
670-0000,670-0001,670-0002 and so on all the way to 670-9999.
They do this with every prefix.
Sometimes they get an *active* phone number,sometimes they don't.
It's all Luck of the draw.

No such thing as Selling Phone numbers.
All a telemarketing firm has to do is KNOW the Prefixes to a certain city,town,etc.
and Start Dialing.
I knew two people who were telemarketers and this is what they are given.

What I have is a Call Blocking device and Call Reject Device on my phone line.
One call gets through ,The rest from that company, Don't.

Dennis

Oh....Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions As:
"I'm Saving Up MY Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's"




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68-Mustang.Sunlit Gold 80,000 miles

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 22-Jan-02 AT 12:37 PM (EST)]>Having an un-listed,un-published number usually doesn't make
>any difference.
>Telemarketers are given "Banks of numbers" to call.
>For example:
>670-0000,670-0001,670-0002 and so on all the way to
>670-9999.
>They do this with every prefix.
>Sometimes they get an *active* phone number,sometimes they
>don't.
>It's all Luck of the draw.


Mil1lion & Rob, thanks for the info. Aother way "manual" telemarketers call you is to use a publication called the Cole's directory. It lists your phone number, age bracket, homeowner or not, year at residence and basic income bracket and some other stuff. One of the ways to get yourself out of this publication is the "Opt Out program" as well having a non-published number. I used to use this for my business but restructured my marketing program as to not **** people off by getting unwanted phone calls (doesn't help sales...). And credit bureaus WILL sell or provide your information to publications like these.

 

In Indiana last year at voteing time there was a list you could sign your number on and it made it illegal for any telemarketers to call your number. its great haven't got one since Jan. 1st i think thats when it went into effect.

 

To get DSL at home I had to drop my phone line totally. Wife and I both have cell phones and have yet to get a sales call. The cell phones work out to be cheaper as well, and I can't bear the thought of giving up DSL (modems....shiver )

 

Let me first address the issue of "Telemarketing" in general....

With the predominance of families going online, spam has been an issue that is getting larger everyday.

Unwanted solicitation in all forms is being more and more considered a form of harrassment. And as such it is illegal in some places.

What is more important to us as individuals is that the majority of such calls are NOT computer generated. Such efforts are random, and tend to be less effective than targetting a select group of people who have shown an interest in certain areas....

Thus the generation of "PHONE LISTS" that can be sold back and forth by certain agencies.

As an example - here in Virginia my apartment was broken into and a gun stolen about 2 years ago.

The NORFOLK POLICE were TOTALLY INNEFFECTIVE!

And yet shortly after that, I began to get calls from every police oriented charity you can imagine.....

While I do have both simpathy and allegiance to the police, the "Peace Officers" who act in our behalf - I also saw that my name and phone number had been given to an inter-organizational SPAM list.

And I dissagree with that.

So beginning a year ago, when I recieved such calls - I demanded to know where they had gotten their "Phone List" from.

Since such lists are illegal, that usually ended the conversation.

ASK THAT! WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR PHONE LIST???? I want to report it!

Usually, the caller will hang up....

 

Talk about ticking me off - got home tonight and spent about a 1/2 hour calling the spam faxes to get my # removed (don't think spam calling is illegal in Fla.) - one place I called in Ft. Lauderdale told me that they couldn't remove my fax # from their list until I faxed them back with my name, address, phone & fax # - YEAH RIGHT.
I can't even block their # cause the # they fax from is not the # I'm supposed to fax to.

I've been waiting get info about the Zapper re: Fax Machines and to see if it goes on sale or until Service Merchandise's "going out of business" prices get better than 10% off, but am beginning to wonder if the wait vs. the $50's is worth it. Had 5 new faxes today and most had 2-3 pages. Can handle ignoring the "Unavailable" phone calls, but the faxes (at $35 a print cartiridge) are killing me.

Sorry - just needed to vent - Hubby gets tired of listening to me and says just spend the 50 bucks.

 

I've had telemarketers leave messages on my voicemail on the home phone. If I answer the phone when they call, I tell them I'm not home and don't expect myself home for a couple of days They don't know that they are talking to me.

 

There is a last resort - It's a game my roomates and I thought of in San Diego:

For every minute you keepa telemarketer on the phone ( or a salesman busy at your doorstep) you get one point.

The totals are taken at the end of the week on friday - and whomever has the lowest score buys the first round of BEER!

The principle of the thing is based on the idea that telemarketers have to cover a certain number of "TARGETS" in order to get a result - a "HIT".....

So if you can eat up the time that they have in any way you have "SCORED" against them!

And we did this for several months.

After a while, it seemed as if we were recognised, and over time no one bothered us at all.....

Not even Jehovah Witnesses....

We were persistant, and never forgot the game. I encourage you all to introduce it to your communities, wherever you may live.

-Greywolf sends

 

Strategy tips:

1) Seem open to their ideas, but wish to discuss it with your roomates

2) Appear to be agreeing with them, but have monetary questions.

3) Whatever the product may be, immediately find an objection (but make it appear resolveable)

4) Use every trick a salesman knows, but turn it back against them! Remember that the greatest tool a salesman has is that most targets don't realise they have the power to "Just walk away"......
It is simple, and hapens just like that...

But you can lure them, and not only keep them busy, but make them come back again (EXTRA POINTS!!! times 2)

 

with telemarketers i usually let them talk then say no, hang up on them , or if im ticked just be palin outright rude (i know it's wrong but sometimes you just can't help it) i haven't recieved one call from them is at least 4 months. I just hate it when they call when im sleeping, eating or really bussy. otherwise they really don't bother me. there prolly people my age trying to make some extra money.

Joseph