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O/T - Getting rid of telemarketers - I think this is working

2K views 20 replies 19 participants last post by  Silverback 
#1 ·
Off topic - but I noticed a sudden decrease in telemarketing calls when I started doing this.

When you see the 800 numbers that indicate a telemarketer call - answer the phone and immediately say 'hello' within 1 second say 'hello' again and just as they pickup and start talking hang up.

As a computer programmer I know that they are using a dialing program that tracks their performance and reports it to the company they are shilling for. My guess is that if they get so many dropped calls from the same number they will stop trying because it will make their averages look bad. Just a theory but it seems to have worked.
 
#2 ·
I'll give your idea a try, might work.

:D :D
 
#3 ·
I registered with the "Do Not Call" web site a year or so ago. My calls have stopped. If you do receive a call, make sure you use your caller ID and file a complaint on their web site! It only takes a second; you can't stop the calls if you don't file the complaints..
Good Luck!
 
G
#4 ·
I have been a very militant person when it comes to telemarketers. But you know what I discovered, that if I just hang the phone up and don't say anything I feel much better. No anger, no high blood pressure.
 
#5 ·
I only receive calls from non profit places. they are exempt from the 'do not call' law.......... only if the organization makes the calls themselves. A third party telemarketing outfit can be forced to stop calling you.


I had to call one non profit place's main office and complain about the weekly calls on my cell phone. I had never donated to them or done business with them in any shape or form. It's been near a month now...... they are due to start the calls again.
 
#6 ·
Hal @ Honda Direct Line said:
I have been a very militant person when it comes to telemarketers. But you know what I discovered, that if I just hang the phone up and don't say anything I feel much better. No anger, no high blood pressure.
That works... but I just put them on 'Hold' and let them stay on as long as they want! :lol:

And, I found the 'Do Not Call' registry DOES work!
 
#8 ·
My answering machine is set to two rings and then my recording starts;
"We might be home but you won't find out if you don't speak up."

Works great, telemarketers seem to instinctively know exactly what that meens and most just hang up. Friends, family and anybody we know, speak up, (we hope), and we talk to them. Made it two rings and a very short message cause I hate waiting through a long message.
 
#9 ·
telemarketers

I usually just set the phone down and walk away. I come back a little later and if they aren't there I hang up the phone, if they are still talke (unusual) I set it down.

This way they are using up (wasting) their time and at least not bothering someone else.
 
#10 ·
My wife use to keep one of those disposable air horns next to the phone. When she would get a call, she would blast into the phone and hang up. We don't get many call anymore.... (she is one nasty BI%$# when she wants to be. I guess thats why I am always a good boy!)
 
#15 ·
A buddy of mine is a retired cop. If he does not recognize the number on caller i.d., he answers, "Homicide", and proceeds to tell the stranger it is a police line, and it would be in the in best interest to not call it again and tie up a line that is needed. Being an ex-cop, he can pull it off easily. His wife just answers " Kroger deli".
 
#16 ·
I am on the no call list and receive very few calls. I have an answering machine and wait until the beep sounds. If someone wants me, they talk, telemarketing folks hang up. Takes care of the non profits too. I give a great deal to only one non profit organization and let them spread it around. It is called the United States Treasury.
 
#18 ·
What do you do about the political calls that even go so far as leaving messages on my answering machine? I guess they made themselves exempt from the no call list. Bunch of ash holes in my book.
 
#19 ·
My brother was telling about a call he received and deciced to have a littlefun with the female caller.
He came up with the idea he was a 1-900 number so he started to tell the caller what he wanted her to do over the phone. He made his first request and she just kept up with her sales pitch so he became a little more graphic. The next time he made a little less discreet request she kinda stammered a little but went on.On his 3rd request she hung up. I was rolling on the floor as he told me about it. He said if they are gong to waste his time he was going to mess with them. :lol:
I have done a few time wasting stunts myself but it usually involved talking thier ears off.!!
 
#20 ·
Let me say this. I hate telemarketers. I worked for one company years ago. Swearing at them does no good, they just go on with the next call. You CAN'T hurt their feelings. The do not call list isn't the complete solution either. Political and charities are exempt, so are surveys. Also when you do any business with a company they can call you for a year or more legally. The only way to fight them is to waste their time. Did you ever notice that if you answer the phone and say nothing they never say anything? One person calls several people at a time automatically and only respond when their computer detects a voice on the other end. Also, when someone does talk, they hang up all there other calls to talk to the poor sucker that did say something. HERE IS HOW TO HURT THEM: Waste their time and cost them money. Pick up the phone, tell them you are very interested, let them start their speech and put your phone down and walk away. They will talk and talk and realize later they were had. Another way is to buy their product C.O.D. and then refuse the product when it arrives at your home. That costs them money. Also, when I get junk mail with a postage paid response envelope I fill their envelope up with all their junk and send it back to them at their expense.
 
#21 ·
I'm not sure why we're so lucky, but since we signed up for the National Do Not Call list, we haven't had any telemarketing calls, other than the ones that are legal: politicians, charities, and those we've done business with.
We also give everyone we want to talk to our cell phone numbers, so they call us on those phones.
 
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