WrightwoodCalif.com Forum
Public Forums => Home - Garden - Auto - Carpooling => Topic started by: Mountain_Witch on Dec 08, 02, 02:09:28 AM
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For those of you that are as fed up with Telemarketers as I am and don't happen to have the convenience of caller ID or any of those other gizmos that block unwanted callers from invading your phone line, here's some good information to read to help end some of those unwanted calls. The ones that really annoy me are the ones that leave those long prerecorded messages on your answering machine that seem to last forever or the ones that are activated by the sound of a voice.
I don't know how many times I've been sitting by my phone waiting for an important call to come thru, only to pick up the phone and have to deal with an obnoxious phone solicitor.
Under the Telemarketing Sales Rule, it is illegal for a telemarketer to call you once you've asked them not to. If they call you again anyway, report them to your state Attorney General.
California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General (http://caag.state.ca.us/)
The TSR also:
Restricts calling times to the hours between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Requires telemarketers to tell you it's a sales call and who's doing the selling before they make their pitch.
Prohibits telemarketers from lying or misrepresenting any information
For further information regarding this matter click here:
Telemarketing Fraud - Ditch the Pitch (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/telemarketing/)
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Grrr I hate the telemarketing calls that are machines. I guess they don't want to waste their time if they mostly get hangups or no's. Kinda impersonal and it offends me. >:(
The one's I hate the most are the ones that have the phone ring and when a live person answers, then they get on the line. I've learned to deal with that one by hanging up when I hear no one on the line and then a background of people on other lines. It gives me the impression that the telemarketer's time is more important than yours. Putting you on hold waiting for them to get on.
I noticed a lot of telemarketing calls since I moved up here five years ago. My husband noticed also that we are getting jury service summons a lot more. I lived in San Diego for three years and got no summons but a month after moving to Wrightwood, I got one. What's the deal, is there more crime in this county or a smaller pool of people to service. ???
Sorry to go on but I hate telemarketers because with five kids there is NO convenient time for them to call me at all.
;D
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I think that Jerry Seinfeld handled this problem better than anyone I have seen. He told the telemarketer that he didn't have time to discuss this right then, then asked for the telemarketer's home phone number and said he would call him back. I am never quick enough to remember this when I get a sales call, but think this is hilarious!
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[smiley=user.gif] I think what Jerry Seinfield actually said was something like "I can't speak with you right now, but if you will give your home phone number, and the time that you usually eat dinner, I'll get back to you." A thought which I have often considered putting on my own answering machine. I usually never answer my phone myself, but if I should and it's a Telemarketer I usually end up telling them what they can do with their "special" product...deal...offer, etc.
[smiley=toilet.gif]
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One day I got a call from Sears. They said their sales rep would be in Wrightwood the next day and would like to give me an estimate on painting my home. I went ahead and set up the appointment for when I would be at work. The house, by the way, was made of stone.
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I'll have to remember that Seinfeild line. ;)
Another fun thing to do with Telemarketers, if you have the time, is by going into a sales speech of your own. It's pretty hilarious if you can be more persistent than them.
Or one that my brother taught me, act like your really super hard of hearing...it drives them nuts to have to repeat something more than 5 times.
I've even went as far to ask one if they could hold for a minute, laid the phone down and just left it there while I watched TV.
All in all, they are a real pain in the booty. :P
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I tell them the person they are asking for DIED.
Then when they stutter out fake sympathy I act like I am going to go on and on and on and on about how sad we all are now the person is gone.... Once I start on the nitty gritty of how they went the telemarketers cannot get off the phone fast enough... and they must take me off their call list as I have never had the same telemarketer call me back again!
The only downside.... Once in awhile my spouse objects to hearing (s)he is dead... go figure? ???
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I really like that, Rat, but I worry about karma.
I got a telezapper several months ago and it works for the computers but it doesn't work for the direct dial calls.
I've thought of singing God Bless America or something like that but I'm usually so angry that I can only sputter.
Some say to just put the phone on the table and turn up the tv. Actually that kind of stuff doesn't work because they just call back later.
We need to get stiffer laws and more explicit blocking systems. This stuff is way out of hand. So many old folks break their necks to get to the phone because it might be a loved one calling.
I think it is just plain cruel.
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When I was a kid I tried telemarketing. They told me I was getting people to donate money to send Viet Nam wounded guys to a circus in town. I was fervent.... and then I found out the entire thing was a SCAM! On ME and on the people I was calling. I quit the moment I heard and left without any pay after 4 days of calling. All I remember is how RUDE people were to me and the horrible things they felt entitled to say to me. I was so young, so naive, didn't know better. Now that I do know a bit more.... I try to give them the benefit of the doubt and just duck the whole thing.... I try to amuse myself with it while being nice... they could be young and just trying to make a living as I once tried to... probably scammers, but.... Hey, get rid of them. Say not interested, no thanks, don't call again and hang up. But cussing and screaming should be for after all else has failed and you just need to vent your frustration. Karma or not.... "They died..." is a magical phrase.... try it or not.... ;)
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I hard the DOT is calling people regarding our Sheepcreek thingy. That might be worth a civil ( if possible) response. ???
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There are opt-out lists for telemarketing just like for junk mail--I'll try to find the address/URL so I can post it here. But I have a technique that works so well, I must share it:
When the telemarketer asks for me, I answer with the question: "is this a telemarketer?" and people are so used to answering questions, they always say yes, then before they can say anything else, I politely tell them I don't accept calls at home and ask them to please take me off their list. They usually say okay, sometimes they get their supervisor on the phone to confirm that, yes, I really do want to be taken off their list. But I used to get a LOT more telemarketing calls than I do now, so I think it is working well. AND, it doesn't waste my time or theirs, and it isn't rude to those poor saps who couldn't find a better job. But best of all, it's effective--so if you REALLY hate telemarketers, and want to get rid of them and not just torture them, try it--it works! 8)
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There are opt-out lists for telemarketing just like for junk mail--I'll try to find the address/URL so I can post it here. But I have a technique that works so well, I must share it:
When the telemarketer asks for me, I answer with the question: "is this a telemarketer?" and people are so used to answering questions, they always say yes, then before they can say anything else, I politely tell them I don't accept calls at home and ask them to please take me off their list. They usually say okay, sometimes they get their supervisor on the phone to confirm that, yes, I really do want to be taken off their list. But I used to get a LOT more telemarketing calls than I do now, so I think it is working well. AND, it doesn't waste my time or theirs, and it isn't rude to those poor saps who couldn't find a better job. But best of all, it's effective--so if you REALLY hate telemarketers, and want to get rid of them and not just torture them, try it--it works! 8)
You must be kidding me. You're just lucky you're not getting calls. Maybe you don't own a house and that makes a big difference.
Trying getting call after call from some "Septic Helper" company and your patience would not be like you're describing. Another one that runs in streaks is the Dish Network. You ask them to put you on there do not call list and they give you some run around, then ask for the supervisor and they say something like, "well it might take a while and we might call you again by accident."
I'm getting so worked up just writing this reply as the amount of time and frustration trying to get them to stop is unreal. We have a folder a 1/2" thick with notes on these pests that won't pay attention to the laws. In the folder are copies of the laws that we have to recite from time to time when they don't know better.
I love it when they call and you ask them to be put on the their "Do Not Call List". Then they ask you for your phone number. Hello..... you just called me!!
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Another thing I do is tell them I am moving to Europe next month. My mate likes that better than being dead.
I get very few calls from live solicitors..... I kinda miss 'em.
I REALLY, REALLY HATE, LOATHE, DESPISE AND DETEST these stupid computerized calls where it sounds like a live person calling..... but ISN'T.
GRRRRR >:(
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Another thing I do is tell them I am moving to Europe next month. My mate likes that better than being dead.
I get very few calls from live solicitors..... I kinda miss 'em.
I REALLY, REALLY HATE, LOATHE, DESPISE AND DETEST these stupid computerized calls where it sounds like a live person calling..... but ISN'T.
GRRRRR >:(
These are computerized calls.
I just got fed up with them, pushed the button to speak with a rep., got zero cooperation when asked to be put on their "Do not call list", as required by federal law. Then asked to speak with their supervisor.
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Mountain_Witch...
What days of the week: "The TSR also: Restricts calling times to the hours between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m."
Stitches: "The one's I hate the most are the ones that have the phone ring and when a live person answers, then they get on the line."
I just read an article about a week or two ago about this. What happens is, the telemarketers call so many people on a computerized system and when someone picks up the phone, they are having to end their conversation and pick up the next available line. This means they are calling more people in a 15-min period then they could before in an hour period. So, when I pick up the phone and say hello, if no one says anything before I can say hello one more time, I'll hang up....if it's someone that I know that needed to talk to me...they'll call right back....telemarketers won't because you just disconnected their call.
It's crazy, but I understand they're trying to make some kind of a law now about telemarketers....I'm sure we'll be hearing about it within the next month or so.
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If I answer the phone and there is no response within just a split second I know it is a computer call and I hang up. Has worked well for me and now my friends know to answer fast when I say hello, otherwise I may hang up!!
;D
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You must be kidding me. You're just lucky you're not getting calls. Maybe you don't own a house and that makes a big difference.
No, I used to get a LOT more calls, plus I got on an opt out list, just like you can for junk mail... now if I can just find that information to share: here it is! This web site has information on opting out of junk mail lists and telemarketing lists and it really does help, though it doesn't completely eliminate the problem. go to http://opt-out.cdt.org/
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naturalist-Thnx for the info. Really appreciate knowing how to fight these pests.
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Thanks for the opt-out link...I got a telemarketing call this afternoon, my day off, and I'm telling this guy I'm not interested....THREE times....and finally hung up...either he was totally persisant....or it was a very good recording :-/
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??? whats really bad is we have an LA remote call forwarding line so when they call the LA line it switches to our 800 # and we end up paying from the calland usually they are out of state cals. The one on septic tanks doesn't even have a # to call.Dinner time brings them on. Makes me mad too!
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I have the same thing, but in reverse - my Wrightwood usually forwards down to here. It might be worth paying the $5 a month for caller id. The sales calls are usually unknown, where a real person with caller id block shows up as anonymous. Phone company gave me a free caller id box for signing up.
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This was sent by a freind and seems to be worth posting.
Try this if you are not already doing it!
I suppose some degree of commerce would grind to a halt if telephone solicitors weren't able to call people at home during dinner hour, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant.
Now Steve Rubenstein, a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, has proposed Three Little Words, based on his brief experience in a telemarketing operation that would stop the nuisance for all! time. The three little
words are: Hold On, Please. Saying this while putting down your phone and walking off instead of hanging up immediately would make each telemarketing call so time-consuming that boiler rooms would grind to a halt. When you eventually hear the phone company's beep-beep-beep tone, you know it's time to go back and hang up your handset, which has efficiently completed its task.
Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end? This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and records the time of day when a person answers the phone. This technique is used to determine the best
time of day for a real sales person to call back and get someone at home.
What you can do after answering, if you notice there is no one there, immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly as possible. This confuses the machine dialed call and it kicks your number out of their system. Since doing this, our phone calls have decreased dramatically.
When you get ads in your phone or utility bill, include them with the payment let the companies throw them away.
When you get those pre-approved letters in the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and junk like that, most of them come with postage paid return envelopes, right? Well, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little envelopes. Send an ad for your local chimney cleaner to American Express. Send the pizza coupon to Citibank. If you didn't get anything else that day then just send them their application back! If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything you send them. You can send it back empty if you want to just to keep them guessing!
Eventually, the banks and credit card companies will begin getting their junk back in the mail. Let's let them know what it's like to get junk mail, and the best of it is that they're paying for it. Twice.
Let's help keep our postal service busy since they say e-mail is cutting into their business, and that's why they need to increase postage again.
Send this to a friend or two or three...or fifty
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Lola was right.......
Californians can now pre-register here for the nationwide Do Not Call list that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is expected to launch this summer. California is joining in the national Do Not Call registry which is FREE to consumers.
http://nocall.doj.state.ca.us/
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Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days.
Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic.
I considered starting a new topic but it fits in here so well.
The last couple of days I've gotten calls from a phone number 123-456-7890. That is what my caller I.D. says. Actually, my mother in law has been getting them and I've dealt with them as she is not capable of doing that.
Anyway, the first time it happened, he says his name and it is clearly an normal name. However, the accent is clearly foreign. I'm not going to name a country as that would just be speculation and inconsequential.
As anyone else been called by a persistant "telemarketer" who is relentless? How do we report them? I don't even believe their phone number is valid.
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I got a call today from 999-999-9999 and it says First National. I picked it up before I looked to see who it was, and there was no one there.
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I got a call today from 999-999-9999 and it says First National. I picked it up before I looked to see who it was, and there was no one there.
I used the reverse phone book, and neither number came up as a valid number. Then I looked up the area codes. There is no 123 area code and for 999 it said
"Often used by carriers to indicate that the area code information is unavailable for CNID, even though the rest of the number is present"
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Thanks for doing that lagomorphmom. Why didn't I think of that? So does that mean I can't block that specific number because that number is bogus anyway? I'm going to have to call Verizon and find out.
There should be a law to keep these pesky people from bothering senior citizens. Another one that bugs me is the sales call that is identified as Unknown Caller. I know that I can block all calls unless they identify themselves by caller I.D. but I don't want to resort to that because some of my mother in laws relatives have unlisted numbers or new numbers that I haven't identified.
I'm at my wits end running for her phone before they talk to her and stress her out. Maybe I should call AARP. I bet they have a committee that works on coming with ways to protect senior citizens against relentless telemarketers.
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"There should be a law to keep these pesky people from bothering senior citizens."
There is. It's the do not call list. I have almost no calls since signing up. It works great.
The only calls I get are from Verizon and police charities. I got Verizon to put me on their internal
no call list and they stopped. And I just ask police charity people for the tax id number and they hand up!
I also just signed up on www.optoutprescreen.com to stop the pre approved credit card offers
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I'm on the Do Not Call list, but I still get calls. I guess they stay under the radar by displaying false numbers (999-999-9999)
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Anyone you do business with can still call you. So your bank, your phone company, your cell phone company can still you. The phone number they use is not relevant as the system is not an automated one that blocks numbers. If you are getting calls, take their company name and report them. They will get fined.
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She's been on the Do Not Call list for years. I'm on the Do Not Call list also and get very few calls. Charities, bank card companies, etc that I do business with also call me. But they are very nice about it when I say, Please Do Not Call and not one more word from them and I don't get called again.
Whoever the caller is, though, is vague about the company they work for and I still don't know what they are trying to sell me. Something about lost money and blah blah blah. And the accent is so distracting that I find it hard to understand what they are saying. So I've resorted to telling them "STOP" "STOP" and they keep talking and all I'm saying is "STOP". If they do stop I tell them to put me on the Do Not Call list. Then they ramble on again wasting my precious time. I just don't have time for it.
What I'd like to do is sick my husband on them and let him yank their chain for a while and maybe they'll think twice before calling again.
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Just be careful if you do decide to say yes to a telemarketer. Some of those calls are scams. One got me a few months ago.
The caller identified himself as calling from Verizon, my home phone company. He said he wanted to send me a free phone for always paying my bill on time. He wanted my credit card number for the $4 shipping and handling, which I gave him :( He said I had also been selected to win a free vacation. He wanted my voice verification for both items, which I gave him.
Never during the conversation did he mention any company name, other than Verizon. And never did he even mention services or prices for any services he might want me to order. When he told me about both free things, I asked him if it was really free, or if I would be charged if I didn't cancel something within a certain time frame. He said there was nothing to cancel, I was not signing up for anything.
Then on my next credit card bill, I had been charged $90 by a company called eplayers.com. I called eplayers.com (the phone number was on my credit card statement). They said they had my "voice authorization" to charge me, that I had signed up for it! I said no I did not, and they apologized and refunded the money.
Then, the following month, on my Verizon home phone bill, I had a $60 charge from Global Air/ Wave Communications for a voice mail. (Any company can piggy-back their charges onto your home phone bill, and all they need, according to Verizon, is your name and home phone number!! This is happening a lot now!) I called the company, expecting the same apology and refund. The man there was very rude to me, however. He said he had my "voice authorization" so there would be no refund, never mind that the "voice authorization" was falsified.
If this happens to you, contact your home phone service, and depending on the company, you don't have to pay the fraudulent charges. Also, always, always report them to the Better Business Bureau. It is easy to do, at www.bbb.com.
The main thing to watch out for is the "voice authorization," but I would say any time anything is free, just say no! If in doubt because it is from a company you use, say "I will call you right back." Then hang up and call the number you have for that company, such as on your statement, and verify the authenticity of the phone call you received. It's better safe than sorry!
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I've always been told not to ever, EVER give your credit card # to anyone who calls YOU. Only give it over the phone if you are calling a company, and you are certain you are speaking to the correct party. Thanx to Caller ID, I never answer 800 numbers any more, nor do I answer most out of area #'s that I don't recognize. I figure if it's legit, they will leave a message, and I can return the call. I would say that 99.999% of those callers never leave a message.