How do you get get rid of Telemarketers?

1. 63

   Lady_Eposted 12 years ago

   How do you get get rid of Telemarketers?
   
   I know they have to earn a living, but they call at awkward times.

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2. 60

   telltaleposted 12 years ago

   I would press the "busy" button in my phone if I find the number is not familiar at awkward times.  Normally telemarketers will not call back.  If not at awkward times, will tell them straight that I am not interested, period.  So far, this works quite well for me - don't receive that many such calls now.

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3. 0

   DavidWS10posted 12 years ago

   Although my phone number is in the Do Not Call register, when a telemarketer does call, I act like a telemarketer and start trying to sell them new siding for their house.

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4. 77

   Uninvited Writerposted 12 years ago

   I don't answer any calls from numbers I don't recognize. The number pops up on my TV and I can send it right to voicemail. They don't usually leave a message.  I am also on the do not call registry and actually reported a number to them that I knew was a telemarketer due to googling them.  They haven't called back.

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5. 60

   fdoleacposted 12 years ago

   Screen your calls with an answering machine.

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6. 59

   Porshadoxusposted 12 years ago

   Generally, I don't answer the unrecognized numbers.
   
   One of my aunts takes the 'crazy lady' approach. She says she knows the caller, accuses the caller of stealing her lawn furniture or some such outdoor item, and totally dominates the conversation.
   
   Why not propose a swap: they can try to sell you something if you get to try to sell them something.

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7. 0

   Rookie70posted 12 years ago

   I am an experienced telemarketer myself, and I have been on both sides. I got calls from other telemarketers, so I do understand how everyone feels about me calling. I would suggest that you be nice to telemarketers and just let them know that you'll think about their service, and that you will call them back if you're interested. Another thing you could do is take their name and number. Remember, a soft answer turns away wrath. Be soft in your decline.

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8. 70

   Steele Fieldsposted 12 years ago

   I pick it up and answer in Japanese (Honichiwa!)  or I might breathe into the phone real heavy, or sometimes I say stuff like, "I'm kinda busy.  Give me your number, can I call you back?"
   Once I started singing an annoying song, off-key, at the top of my lungs.  Play with their heads-- provides hours of good clean fun.

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9. 67

   adrienne2posted 12 years ago

   If they call on my cell phone I press ignore, which have been happening a lot lately on my cellphone.  Get registered on the Do Not Call list.  My mother is registered, and she stated there is a big difference in the amount of calls she was getting.

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10. 79

    miss_jkimposted 12 years ago

    Well, I just disconnected my land line and now only have a cell phone. I have also regestered with the do not call registry. Its not really the telemarketers that annoy me, its the political candidates that drive me crazy.

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11. 59

    Allan Douglasposted 12 years ago

    I hate being rude to anyone, so telemarketers create a quandary.  How I react to them will depend a good deal on their approach.  If I answer the phone and hear nothing but dozens of voices taking in an obvious call center as my caller checks his/her notes or sips a cola or whatever it is that they’re doing, I just hang up.  If it’s a robo-all I hang up.  If I answer and they launch into a rehearsed pitch, I politely interrupt them and say that I make it a practice not to buy ANYTHNG over the telephone.  Mail me your information and I will consider it.  I am not harsh about it, just matter-of-fact.  Usually they will hang up on me just the same.   If they take a more civil approach I may listen for a moment to find out what they are selling.  Rarely is it anything I’m interested in so as soon as that determination has been made, I gently let them know that.  If they insist on pursuing the matter, I gently lay the phone down, walk away and let them talk to their hearts content.

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12. 0

    Jasmine JellyBabyposted 12 years ago

    I used to be a telemarketer myself and I never understood why people were so rude to me, until I got a call from a telemarketer and realise how annoying they really are!! I did quit my job after that and put myself on the do not call list.
    
    Or I just get my little niece to answer it and she plays the shadow game with them.. She just repeats what they say, eventually the telemarketer hangs up!

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13. 60

    StephAnknerposted 12 years ago

    FROM MY EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH OVER TIME. I found out beside the do not call list; the best other option you can have and do is write a letter to the telemarketing company and add et-al (means and others) encased they go by multiple names and send a letter saying CEASE ALL COMMUNICATIONS BY PHONE AND OR MAIL IMMEDIATELY. They should not contact you , if they do they can be in trouble legally

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14. 53

    prettydarkhorseposted 12 years ago

    Hi Lady, Just tell them that you are not interested, and if you really don't want to be bothered at all, don't answer if you can't recognize the number.

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15. 66

    Kotoriposted 12 years ago

    Sometimes I ask them if they know Jesus!

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16. 0

    surlyoldcatposted 12 years ago

    Oh yeah, I got those still even though I'm on the no-call registry. Normally I don't answer unknown numbers. Some I do because of having been published I check to see if it's a prospective hard print publisher I'd submitted material for. You'd think I'd learn my lesson.
    
    When it IS a telemarketer, one of my favorite things to do is start talking to them in German. They try to play the "you were just speaking English when you answered the phone" and I keep rapping on in Deutsch back at them.
    
    Someting else that's fun is to take on a fictional warrior persona. I prefer the "Viking Raider" for the really persistent ones. "Drunken Rowdy Pirate" is also one of my favorites. Guaranteed to get them to hang up fairly quickly after either having a good laugh, saying something defensive and rude, or in total silence.
    
    Finally, and this one you have to be REALLY careful with: Pretending to be completely inebriated and giving them what they want. You don't want to give them any of your real information in any case, but be really  careful in using any vengeance tactics and giving out, oh say, your boss's info. Many a b*****d has been on the recieving end of multiple orders of female contraceptives, fertilizer, alternative romance fiction, and adult diapers (just to name off the top of my head.)
    
    The imagnation soars and when it comes to these people, flex that bad boy.
    
    Of course, now I have to come up with something different because I just blabbed...

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17. 38

    astaleyposted 12 years ago

    Tell them to please take you off their list.

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18. 0

    lisa.bomposted 12 years ago

    Answer the phone. Say "No thank you, have a nice day". Then hang up

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19. 61

    Support Med.posted 12 years ago

    If I recognize a 'telemarketer' I don't answer. If by chance I answer, I tell them 'not interested' and if they keep talking I tell them good-bye and hang-up.

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