How do you handle telemarketers? My sister keeps getting sales calls to clean her duct work. They

[applegrove]

Last edited Mon Apr 9, 2012, 12:45 AM - Edit history (1)

call once every six weeks from India and it is always somebody different on the phone. My sister always said no or I don't have furnace ducts. I figure they have home phone numbers of people who give money for charity, they call and call Toronto from India over the internet for free until they get a yes, and then they sell that sale to a duct company in Toronto. My sister said "yes I have ducks" one time and the guy thought that was funny. There is no do not call list. I figure this is the way things are going to be in the future where there is no way to get off the phone list.

[NYC_SKP]

1. Sometimes I don't answer, other times I ask kindly never to call this number.

With some marketers, I tell them I lost my job, but most wasted calls I get are looking for someone with my first initial and the same last name.

They are cold calling looking to track down debtors. I have a common last name.

It's a pain in my rear, I tell ya!

[pitohui]

2. i don't answer the phone unless i know who is calling

who answers the phone from "unknown" or "private" in the 21st century?

just because it's ringing doesn't mean you gotta pick it up

telemarketing would die out if people just let all calls from unknowns go to voicemail

[TheMadMonk]

3. I found a very useful website.

Warning some ads are defintely NSFW or shoulder surfing children.

http://www.vnutz.com/curse_and_swear

The Punjabi entry is the one most useful for:

<best Apu voice> "Good evening sir. I am calling you on behalf of Microsoft Technical Support."

Getting them to try and convince me that Sperry Burroughs was a subsidiary of Microsoft got old a long, long time ago.

[PoliticAverse]

4. "Do Not Call Registry"...

https://www.donotcall.gov/

[LiberalFighter]

5. Don't answer the phone if you don't recognize the number or caller.

Those you don't recognize let the answering machine pick it up. Have your greeting start out with the tone used by the phone company that indicates the number is no longer in service or has been disconnected.

Before DNC I had used this and it appeared to work great. Recently, been getting calls from companies that appear not to care about violating the DNC law. So I put it back in place.

[lunatica]

6. I have comcast so the phone number flashes at the bottom of the screen

along with who it is. For example, if Red Cross calls me to go donate blood, it shows Red Cross and the number.

[RebelOne]

10. I have the same thing through Comcast.

If it shows that it is an 800 number or an out-of-state number, I do not answer. They finally give up calling.

[MrScorpio]

7. Caller ID, baby

Don't leave home without it

[mzteris]

8. keep a whistle or airhorn

by the phone, everytime they call, use it. They'll stop.

[rrneck]

9. Tell them you want to hear all about it

and when they start the pitch quietly lay the receiver on the table and walk away.

Waste their time for a change.

[SeattleVet]

11. If I pick up to 'dear air' I know it's an autodialer,

and I answer the phone with, "Telemarketing Fraud Division; how may I direct your call?"

If I pick up and someone actually starts talking, I ask for their name, their company name, and a callback number, while pulling up the donotcall.gov "File a Complaint" page. The I politely thank them and tell them I have all the information I need to finish filing the complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

I've had some beg me not to (too late!), and one guy who went into a whole thing about just trying to make a living (so was the drug dealer down the block that we managed to get turned in).

If I've got a little time I start asking them why they would think that I might give them any personal or financial information after they have just demonstrated to me a complete willingness to break federal law by calling a number on the Do Not Call list.

[saras]

14. Best advice by far. Do not call registry, then FOLLOW UP.

[lastlib]

12. My best one.....

...was the guy calling to sell me a home security system. He identified himself, and said, "My boss was out in your neighborhood recently, and he noticed there weren't very many of our signs in your area--" I cut him off and said, "Really?? You don't suppose someone's stealing them, do you??"

He started laughing so hard he couldn't go on with his spiel!

[laundry_queen]

13. If you have a newer cordless phone

you should have 'call block'. I'm in Canada too, and boy, since I moved to a larger city, the amount of telemarketing calls (and robocalls!) is insane. I usually answer and if it turns out to be a robocall for some stupid timeshare/vacation bullshit, or some darn duct cleaning telemarketing (yep, had those too and don't forget the lawn service ones. "Um, I don't have a lawn" doesn't seem to stop them) I add the number to my blocked call list. Then when they try to call again, my phone screens the call out and the phone doesn't ring. It's very handy for psycho family members as well.

[lovemydog]

15. I say 'Please take my name off your list

and don't call again.' They're usually very nice and comply.

The ones that piss me off are the automated ones that don't leave a number to press to be removed from their list. Those I add to my verizon call block list.

I'm also on do not call registry (link cited above).

With those three safeguards, I don't get many telemarketers.

I agree - unwanted calls are annoying.

[OriginalGeek]

22. I couldn't swear in a court of law but

I firmly believe those "press X to be removed..." calls are really just trolling for warm bodies. You press X and you have just confirmed to unscrupulous scum that you are a real person at the end of a real phone number and you answer the phone when it rings.

I simply don't answer any call I don't recognize.

[avebury]

16. She might try pranking

the telemarketers. There is a comedian Tom Mabe that does it. If you go onto Itunes he has a podcast. He also has some clips on youtube. Some of his pranks are hysterical. In one prank he answers the phone as a 9-11 operator, on another call he answere like a detective at a murder scene and the one where he deals with the cemetary plot sales guy is priceless. I ususally either just hang up on the telemarketer or set the receiver down on the table and ignore it until the person hangs up.

[LynneSin]

17. I haven't answered my home phone in like 8 years

I keep the number so when I need a phone number for something I need but don't want to be on some annoying call list. If I give you my home phone number it's my way of saying "Thank you but I never want to hear from you again!"

Real calls go to my cell phone.

[NewJeffCT]

18. I get a lot of calls for somebody's medication prescription

"Hi, I'm calling about Jack's prescription, can I speak with him?"

"Umm, there is no Jack here"

"Well, can we talk to you about our prescription program..."


every time it's for somebody else Jack, Bob, Tom, etc

[Myrina]

19. Tell them you don't own the house and cannot authorize anything like that ...

... you are just a renter and all calls need to go to the landlord, then give a bogus landlord number (time, or dial a prayer are my faves).

[SeattleVet]

21. The number doesn't *have* to be bogus...

there are a few that actually might be useful. Try giving them these, or if your phone allows it, redirecting calls from them to these numbers:

NCL's National Fraud Information Center at [phone]

Your local police department's fraud division

The local FBI office's switchboard

(If they ask for me or my wife by name, I usually say that the person they want is not available right now, but might be reached at <one of the above> numbers. After getting the police non-emergency number or the local FBI office a few times, the calls usually stop.)

[pipi_k]

20. Depends on...

how I'm feeling that day and how many times they've called previously.

If a number comes up on my DirecTV caller ID at the bottom of the TV screen that I don't recognize...800 number, unknown, etc., I will briefly pick up and then hang up again.

If the calls persist (I can remember the numbers), the next time I pick up and listen to see if there's a person on the other end. If so, I treat the person to a blast from my "Wind Storm" whistle.

I have never had to do this more than once to the same number.

There have been times, though, where I've acted in a civil manner and just told the person never to call again.

They just don't want to catch me on a bad day.

[OriginalGeek]

23. Can anyone confirm this? I'm too chicken to try

if you have a phone (usually a workplace phone but not always) that allows you to transfer to another number (an outside line if you are at work) and you keep getting sales calls or nuisance calls or any other caller that won't take the hint that you want off their list: Transfer the call to 911.

911's caller ID will show the originating number (your spammer) and leave your number out of it and the nuisance has to deal with the police (who don't take kindly to being interrupted for bullshit)

I've heard this is especially helpful for stalker ex-boyfriends who won't stop harassing and such...


I'm not positive it would be legal to do though.

[supernova]

24. I don't pick up

numbers I don't recognize. I let the answering machine take it.

It helps that I haven't had a credit card, nor any credit since the late 90s. I'm a cash only kind of girl. If you won't take my debit card or cash, I won't do business with you period.

I got on the Do No Call list several years ago and it works. Still sometimes someone takes the idea to bother me, fines and all. I still get calls from "Rachel from Card Services.." every few months. They haven't called back since my fiancee picked up the phone and basically gave the the call center shloob a obscene phone call about what he'd like to do to Rachel.

[kcass1954]

25. Y'all are way nicer than I am.

First off, we only have cell phones - got rid of the landline a couple of years ago. I don't usually answer unless I know who's calling.

But every once in a while, I get in the mood to fuck with someone, so I'll answer. As soon as they identify themselves, I start with "Who the fuck are you and why the fuck are you calling me when I'm on a fucking do not call list?" And the conversation goes downhill from there.

[a kennedy]

26. my husband and I just put the phone down and have a radio playing next to the phone

so they experience what we do when we're put on hold......we then check may-be 15 minutes later to see if they're still on. ha ha ha, works great.

[WiffenPoof]

27. I Try To Be Nice But...

...there are times when I basically screw with them. If I get a marketing call, let's say it's for carpet cleaning. I let them get out most of their speech, then I tell them that I'm a little busy right now. But if you give me YOUR number, I can call you after YOU get off work and we can discuss this matter further. Sometimes they will respond by saying that they would rather not. Then I tell them...that's strange, I would rather not receive calls from you on my free time either.

-P

[AtomicKitten]

28. Try to sell them something. Shuts 'em up every time.

[LiberalEsto]

29. If I don't recognize the number on Caller ID,

I gently push the "talk" button, then immediately press the "end call" button.

No pesky rings to listen to.

[hobbit709]

30. "Click" works real well.

[Ilsa]

31. If it is a sales MAN, start talking about your periods.

Tell them how bad your cramps are every month. That'll shut them up.

[lastlib]

32. Fuck with 'em a little bit....

"Oh, man, I'm glad you called! I'm really feellin' bad today, and I need someone to talk to--I really feel guilty about killing the dog...It was a nice dog and all, but for some really weird reason I just wanted to see something die, ya know?..." Just go sociopathic on 'em, and they will not want to talk to you any more.