The numbers come up on my caller ID and if I don't recognize it I let it go to voice mail. If it is important, they will leave a message, but I know the area codes I get calls from other than our 903. Seems like I'm getting more and more.

More & more here too. I listen then tell them not only do I have callerd ID, the call is being recorded (not) and we're on the Do Not Call list. They immediately say they will remove our number from their system. However, the XYZ's had our number before us (8 YEARS ago) and we still get collection co. calls looking for them- they must owe everyone in Texas!

I really got a belly laugh from my hardresser when she answered a call from Health Care Insurance Sales telemarkter with, "Hey, I'm SO glad you called! Bet you can fix me up with some good insurance even if I'm over an over 50 diabetic, seriously over weight smoker with knee problems- when can we get together to sign me up?" They can't hang up fast enough. She says the word must be out now...all calls stopped.

Suzi

Marita & all,..even tho it's an automated call-once you stay on the line to talk to a 'real live rep'? Do NOT say you were on the 'do not call list'..instead, be friendly, ask them what the name of their company is, what their name is (the telemarketer)-meanwhile-write down all of that info & the date of the call. Ask them for a # to reach them at-you need to "discuss it with your spouse" and then...once you have that info? Tell them you are requesting that they remove you from their calling list and if they don't? You have their name, the company's name & they will be reported for breaking the law.
I was a Supervisor for a telecom company for 6 years..they had to pay thousands of dollars a year, for not removing a person's name, when requested. All companies buy their lists for calling on an automated dialer. If the rep doesn't remove your name-the company pays..IF you report them. That's why is it pertinenet that you get all info-rep calling you, company name & phone # to call them back. Hope this helps.

A few flaws here. First, if you ask them to remove you from the list, you are authorizing them to call you. The only list they are "required" to maintain is a do NOT call list. Therefore, when you ask to be removed from the list, you are telling them to remove you from the do not call list. Which means what? They can call you! Syntax? Yes. Important difference? Yes. And if you try to log to sue them, you'll lose if you don't do it right. Sadly, the laws and courts favor these scumbags.

Secondly they can be required to pay if you want to take them to court. There's civil penalties. There's several people who have started taking them to court and they're collecting and getting publicity. But the reality is few will do it. You do need to keep a list of when they called, who you talked to, etc. There is a time frame.

I like the ones who say have fun with them. Ask the most ridiculous questions you can come up with. Can I get this siding in plaid? What brand of turnips do you grow? What color is your dog's urine? Mixed in with some "sincere" sounding questions about them, how's the weather, where they're at, etc, you'll waste their time, have your log, get the company name and number and have a good time frustrating them. Time them. Tell them that you wasted 25 minutes of their time for wasting yours so that's money they didn't make. Tell them to get a real job. Insult them. They're not humans, they're scum. They're not worth the air they breathe. Yell at them, scream at them, take out your frustrations. Get a supervisor on the line. Put them on hold while you make frequent bathroom trips. Give them a "musical hold" with as many bodily sounds as possible so they "know" you're for real. Fake hiccups and burps and other pressure releases are helpful for stalling them too. All the while ask them if they'll sing the menu to you.

Although they're required to give you company name, phone number and address, very few will. They'll "accidently" hang up on you so they don't need to follow the rules and the rules aren't enforced anyway so you take the matter into your own hands.

Collection agents. There's another treat. Once your number is in the system you'll get a ton of calls. If you don't answer, you'll get that many more.

BTW, It took me nearly two years after going on the do not call list, plus work of telling the scum to put me on their do not call list to make a difference. And the d.n.c. list is only valid for five years although rumors are floating that it may have been changed. So set your alarms and keep on top of things.

BTW, in fairness the scumbag on the phone can't get a real job, that's why they're in telemarketing. They're not even being paid minimum wage. So do you think they'll spend unpaid time to put you onto a d.n.c. list when they could spend that time on the phone, which they're required to do anyway, and potentially get a sucker to buy something?

If you stand up for yourself and make their job miserable you'll do everyone a favor. Normally I'm not such a jerk on these things but like I said when you're dealing with subhuman species you have to be brave and bold.

Throw tact and political correctness out the window. Keep them online as long as you can and insult them until they hang up on you.

Obviously, I have no sympathy for telemarketers. They're just lazy door-to-door salespeople

Thanks for the answers. I tried what some of you suggested twice with the company that continues to bother me. I spoke to a person, got his first name, and engaged him in conversation. However, as soon as I began to ask what the company name and phone number was, and tell him I was on the do not call list, he hung up on me. Incredibly rude and underhanded. Then I got the same automated call twice again this week. Frustrating!

I get these automated calls at least once a week. Sooo annoying. Do Not Call list doesn't work in a lot of cases. I'm also getting mighty annoyed at the political calls, and they'll only increase through voting day (of course politicians voted themselves exempt from DNC). By the way, Do Not Call website states that it is permanent as of February 2008.

Shirley

I just hang up. Don't even say goodbye.

Can't you call the Attorney Generals office Marita?

I usually tell the callers (IF I answer) "we are on the Do Not Call list" and they apologize and hang up.

My first DSIL put himself thru linemans school doing telemarketing. He hated it, said it was the most depressing awful job he'd ever had. He wasn't scum tho like Cynic said. LOL He was a hard working guy living in a town that didn't have wonderful part time job opportunites.

"Keep them online as long as you can and insult them until they hang up on you."

Yeah, that will really solve your problem. NOT.

Marita, there must be some information on the automated speech that tells you who the company is - otherwise what's the point of the call? I know it's irritating, but try and listen all the way through to get as much information as possible.

Then you can report them to the FCC:

How to File a Complaint

You can file a complaint by e-mail (fccinfo@fcc.gov), telephone 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY, by fax to 1-866-418-0232, via our electronic complaint form at http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm, or mail. For the FCC to process your complaint you must either fill in the electronic form completely or otherwise indicate:

your name and address;

the home phone number where you received the solicitation;

identification of the individual or company whose products or services were being advertised or sold, and any phone numbers included in the call;

a description of the call;

any phone number provided to allow you to "opt-out" of future calls;

whether you or anyone else in your household gave the caller express prior permission to call;

whether you have an EBR with the caller (specifically, whether you or anyone else in your household made any purchases of property, goods, or services from the company that called, or made any inquiry or filed an application with the company prior to receiving the call).

Here is a link that might be useful: FCC Website:

"Yeah, that will really solve your problem. NOT."
Of course it won't "solve" the problem any more than reporting them to the FCC will! LOL That's my point.

And nodakgal, I'm sure he's a hardworking guy, and he certainly gains respect from me for leaving that "job" and I use that term very loosely, but I still maintain that people who tries to make a living from pestering people are scum. There are other ways of making money that are just as distasteful and I can't condone anyone telemarketing. Nice people murder people everyday, nice people rob people every day, nice people bilk old people or companies every day. Just because they're nice doesn't make up for hideous activities, IMO. Again, it would end if people would quit buying from these scumbags but in the meantime ya does whatcha gotsta does...

I called both the Attorney General and the FCC. Both said they were very familiar with these types of calls and I should actually feel "lucky" that I only get them occasionally. Some people, they said, get them many times per day. tally, there is truly nothing at all that identifies the company. It is an automated call that asks you to press 1 for a live person. When you press 1 and ask the person for a company name and phone, they give a false phone number (I tried it several times--it goes to something that says "welcome to live chat" and then hangs uo) and a name like "consolidated loan service" that is so general it is impossible to trace. The FCC said that that's exactly the scam's m.o., of course. Who would fall for such an operation by giving out the personal information they ask for up front? The FCC and Attorney General said, sadly, lots of people, particularly the elderly. Very sad.

I then spoke to the phone company. There is something they can put on my phone that stops all such calls because it requires the caller to press 1 to dial my number. Automated calls can't do this, of course. It costs about $8.00 per month. Frankly it is good to know there is this option. But actually the spate of spam calls seems to have stopped this week -- crossing my fingers!

There is a device on my answering machine (telezapper?) that emits a tone every time the phone is answered that deflects the auto dialers. It "hears" the tone indicating the phone is out of service and removes it from their auto dialer.
I also will wait a moment when I answer a phone call that I do not recognize the number. Some seem to be voice activated, so once you speak, it connects you to an operator. If no one speaks it just hangs up.

You can try putting the tone on your own answering machine. I did it but it doesn't really work. It is interesting how many legitimate callers hang up and call back though! The telezapper has been proven worthless too. And no, they don't remove ANY numbers by any similar type of operation. Why should they? If you understand how they work, you'll know why these things don't work. It's not the tone, it's the interception by an answering device that the war-dialers can distinguish and hang up before the tone is even played. The war dialer then automatically put you back into the queue for later pestering. Some of the more sophisticated will prioritize though so answering machines (or a fax machine) can help a little.

Yes the phone option through the company can be helpful. There are add-on devices that make you press a number too and that would help. There's also the phone company option to reject blind calls before the phone even rings. Then you have to unblock or physically enter a bogus number to get through. Not foolproof but it can help.

There is a law in MN prohibiting recorded message calls. But again, never enforced so the scumbags don't obey it. Scumbags don't obey laws that ARE enforced. Why obey ones that aren't?

Gullibility of people is hard to believe. But look in your email inbox. How many people blindly forward hoaxes when the email simply says "this is true" "I checked it out" and "FORWARD THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!!!!!!!" Many a legitimate company has been severely damaged from these hoaxes and everyday people hear it, want to believe it and spread it. It's a different type of plague that people willingly pass on instead of immunizing themselves and society. It's sad.

Another fun thing to do is keep an air horn handy and when you get a scumbag on there, and have toyed with them almost to the point they'll hang up, blast them with the hooter! They sit with a headphone on and it's fairly effective at times. Be careful though - you might bust a gut laughing!

I wouldn't equate telemarketing with murder or robbery. I haven't talked to a telemarketer in years because I don't answer the phone if the number doesn't show up, or I don't recognize it, in caller ID.

[[When I'm feeling a bit mischievous (a fair bit of the time), and not too busy, sometimes I say]]

This is a business phone.

I've been a personal financial advisor for about 25 years - not working on commission on sales, as I don't sell any financial products, but, like a lawyer or a doctor, charge clients for the use of my time.

If you want to talk to me, give me your name and the name and address of your company for my invoice and tell me how much of my time you'd like to contract for ...

... at $60.00 per hour, $40.00 for 30 min., $25.00 for 15 min., $20.00 for 10 min., $15.00 for 5 min.

[[Sometimes I add]]:
I'm in a good mood today, so if you want to listen to me tell you how to make your money work more effectively for 5 min., to decide whether you'd like to become my client, I'll listen to your spiel for 5 min.

Fair enough? [[or]]How does that sound?

[[Most are shocked, almost speechless (which is some achievement, with a telemarketer) ... and so far - no takers]].

ole joyful