Combatting Telemarketers

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   Jonathan Jancoposted 12 years ago

   I'm about to get rid of my land line. We get no calls from anyone except telemarketers. And we seem to get them several times an hour. My question is, is it illegal to take a referee whistle and blow it right into his ear? Can I get in trouble for that? Anyone else tempted to do such a thing?

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      klarawieckposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I don't think it's illegal but I've found that if you try to make a deal with them they usually stop calling. I tell them that if they buy some of my ebay items, I'll buy whatever they're selling.

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         EmpressFelicityposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         :evil grin:
         
         We did something similar with a pair of door-to-door saleswomen, who were selling this wondrous vacuum cleaner that did everything except make the tea. It was supposed to get rid of not only ordinary household dust, but allergens as well.
         
         They gave us the spiel and then came the crunch... they told us the price. Which was over £1,000.  For a flaming hoover.
         
         When my other half and I had stopped laughing, he offered them a deal. He said that if they gave us one of their vacuum cleaners for free, we would rewrite their brochure - again for free, to appeal more to British customers (this was an American firm, which had come across the Atlantic in search of new suckers, er, markets).
         
         Strangely enough, the dynamic duo couldn't leave the house fast enough after he said that.

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            klarawieckposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I had one of those salesmen come into my house trying to sell the vaccum for close to $1000. It was probably the same firm. I just felt bad for them. They were newcomers to the US and that was the only job they could find. But no, thank you.. I'm very happy with my $80 dirtdevil canister!

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      John Holdenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      A friend of mine would keep them on the phone chatting to them for hours,and then tell them what a lovely chat she'd had and put the phone down. When they called back all hot and bothered, deny that they had called the number before.

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   3. 66

      Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I'm sure it's not. I tell them to fxxk themselves. One in particular keeps calling about getting lower interest rates on credit card balances. Aside from the fact that I don't have any credit card balances my impression is that they are a scam of some sort. I forget what they call themselves Credit Counselors or something like that. Anybody had a call from them. I think their headquarters is in Florida. I'm on the do not call list, but they still keep calling once or twice a week.

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         Jonathan Jancoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah Ive gotten that co. or something just like it. The thing that really scares me is that my grandmother has colon cancer so we get calls from people who ask for her so we have to memorize the names of the doctors, the companies that deliver her equipment and the companies that provide the inhouse care she occasionally gets because half of the calls she gets are from scammers trying to sell her phony medical cards. Makes me sick. I worked for a telemarketer in college. The first day they trained me on what exactly the scam was, how they profitted from it and how the script I was supposed to stick to was designed to deceive them. And I said, "It's a scam?"
         And as if I was a moron for asking, my boss said, "yeah, all telemarketing is a scam kid."
         Quit that job before the end of the second day.

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         1. 66

            Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Good for you!

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            1. 60

               Jonathan Jancoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Well actually, Ralph, it must be written into my biology. On my second day there, I puked every time I made a sale. Just like when I got banned here for a week I actually couldnt live with myself when I read back all of the nasty things I said to people.

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   Richard Sirotaposted 12 years ago

   I'm not sure it is illegal but don't quote me. It probably isn't. I used to try and be rational in dealing with telemarketers but the preponerance of calls has wiped that out of me. Recently, as a result of filing out a survey online (foolish) I am now getting phone calls from several companies that I don't want. I tell them to send me their information in the mail so my wife, 2ho is deaf, can follow the offers too. One company called back nd bsically offered to rip them a new one. I think I shocked the poor girl on the other end but she got the messge. Tthe sme company called back the next day with a different (male) operator and I told him the same thing. If I get a third call it is my intention to inform them that they need to contact their legal department as I am now in the process of bringing a lawsuit for harassment against them. They hve no scruples concerning invading your privacy, I feel no need to respect their feelings anymore. Give 'em hell!

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3. 71

   CarpetDiemposted 12 years ago

   There was a great Seinfeld episode where Jerry gave a hard time to a telemarketer. It was very funny, but never really worked for me. My time is too valuable to waste try to waste a telemarketer's time.
   Are you on the do not call list? I think it works pretty well.

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      Jonathan Jancoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Some companies have do not call lists. But if Im not mistaken, Supreme Court deemed the 'national' do not call list unconstitutional. Which is weird seeing that telemarketers only exist as a means for criminal behavior.

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         CarpetDiemposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I haven't heard about the Supreme Court doing that... but I haven't had a land line for a few years. I'll have to google that. I'd be bummed if it was true.
         I hate telemarketers... always made me run in from the outside when the phone rang. I hope karma gets them!

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            CarpetDiemposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            i just googled [Supreme Court  do not call list]  and it said that in 2004 the Supreme Court ruled the list WAS constitutional... and I didn't see anything newer about that decision changing.

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         2. 60

            Jonathan Jancoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I'll have to look that up to, as it may have been the Connecticut courts that did that.

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   Telemarketers and spammers are one and the same. The concept of ethics just does not exist for them. There is no solution to this problem that I know of.

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   thejeffriestubeposted 12 years ago

   I think if you find where they are located,  take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
   
   Or, just dump the landline.

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   RandyRoperposted 12 years ago

   find something to sell to the telemarketers and make millions

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   RandyRoperposted 12 years ago

   You will now have a new business lol with customers and no need to market your product

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8. 59

   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   An old one, but a good one. The next time a telemarketer calls just tell them, "Hold on a sec. I'll be right back". Then set the phone down. And never come back.

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9. 89

   RedElfposted 12 years ago

   
   
   I should give that a shot, but I'm concerned it will tie up my line, and I'll have to keep checking to see if they're gone - kinda like muting the commercials and then having to watch them 'til they end so you don't miss when the program starts again.

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    Emile Rposted 12 years ago

    You guys do realize there is a 'do not call' list in the US?  It works. I haven't had but one telemarketing call in three years.  When I pointed out that we were on the list and what they were doing was illegal, they hung up immediately.

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    thejeffriestubeposted 12 years ago

    And here it is:
    https://www.donotcall.gov/

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       Jonathan Jancoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks. Turns out it was the Connecticut courts that deemed the do not call list illegitimate. Must ve been overturned because I went through the State of Connecticut website to make sure they allowed me to register. I still wouldnt mind blowing a whistle in their ear if they call again.

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