Excellent! Use this to counter Telemarketing calls

Hogmaster · 01-12-2006, 07:27 AM

I made the mistake of cancelling the Oregonian temporarily recently while the house gets finished in the remodeling process.

With apologies to Mr. Monroe, those persistent calls to re-up were driving me absolutely nuts! It seems they have an automatic dialer, and until you specifically tell them not to call anymore, they continue to. I had told them that I was cancelling for awhile and would start again later. They took that to mean call me 4 times a day to see if it was time yet.

Since they were calling my cell, I was getting particularly perturbed, until my son sent me this:

Click here for the "counterscript"

Now it is worth every minute on my cell plan. Heck, I might take my name OFF the do not call lists! :grin:

Mr. Fisherman · 01-12-2006, 09:30 AM

I usually tell them, "Oh yea, I have been waiting for this call. Can you please hold? Then I put the phone down and go back to the ball game or finish dinner untill the phone beeps at me. Waste my time, waste your time. after a call or two they donlt seem to call back.

Hogmaster · 01-12-2006, 09:32 AM

Yeah, I've done that, or the drunk/confused/ignorant/challenged routines. But this one is much more fun! :smile:

judyfish99 · 01-12-2006, 09:47 AM

I hear ya, Hogmaster....I recieve daily calls from a Dish Network company with a 727 area code. It is an autodialer. Grrrrrrrrrr!!! :tongue:

TheKing · 01-12-2006, 10:00 AM

We hand the phone to my 7 year old son and tell them someone wants to talk with him about fishing, volcanoes, sharks. He is good for at least 45 minutes of non stop monologue on that any of those topic's.

alaskan · 01-12-2006, 10:13 AM

I used to hate getting those calls. Now I look forward to them. I go get my 10 year old and give him the phone and let them talk to him. After a couple time's they don't call anymore.

I did make a telemarketer cry once. We wer awoken one morning at 4:12 AM by a lady asking if we wanted a credit card for a fuel company. When I asked her if she knew what time it was, she replied in a perky voice "it's 8:12 Sir." For some reason that set me off and I let her know it. I never got another call from that company, but they did send me a gift certificate for their company.

SOL · 01-12-2006, 01:41 PM

I keep an airhorn handy...When I get a call like that, well you can put two and two togethor.

Jennie@ifish · 01-12-2006, 02:50 PM

Warning: I clicked that link and got about 20 popups!

I'm not clicking there again!

Time to run the spyware... (Sigh)

Hogmaster · 01-12-2006, 03:10 PM

Really?

Oooops! Sorry. I didn't get any.

sliverpicker · 01-12-2006, 04:36 PM

I used to get these calls all the time when I was cooking supper for my kids. I'd ask the person on the other end of the line for their home phone number so I could call them back at my convenience. When they'd say "I can't give you my home phone number sir", I'd counter with "then don't call my home at your convenience!" Then I'd just hang up!

Now I just let it ring if I don't recognize the number.

Swamp Puppy · 01-12-2006, 05:55 PM

first off fellas...you need to add yourselves to the national do not call list. they have recently upgraded to add cell phone numbers to this list.

next, if you still receive calls after registering your number all you need to do is simply remind the caller that you are listed on the "do not call" list and that by cold calling you they are in violation of the law.

now, if you're too lazy to add yourself to the list....or maybe you like the occasional random phone call at dinner..you can always tell the telemarketer to remove you from their list and not to call you any longer. this is a legal request and they are required to abide by it. (they may give you some BS about it taking 30 days to remove you from their list...just ask to talk to a manager. that will get it handled.)

now..say you have done all this and you still get calls from the same company. now it's time to call the FCC. usually a call to the better business bureau will get you the number you need to call. the FCC will ask you alot of questions, so be prepared. you will need to know the company name, name of the person who is calling, and a contact number for the company that is calling you.

i went through this a few years ago with AT&T long distance.

ampersat · 01-12-2006, 07:21 PM

I was sitting two seats over from a guy on an airplane years ago who was gaga over their new "war dialer". It dials numbers from it's list and can tell whether a human or an answering machine answers the phone. Back then, if it got a human, it calls back in a few minutes routing their end of the call to a person. From the calls I've answered lately, it seems to route to a rep immediately.

Hog's script was pretty cool, but I prefer to go with whatever strikes me at the moment. One guy said, "we build our reputation on word of mouth," so I countered with, "well, why haven't I heard of you before?" He ended the call on me.

Moldy45 · 01-13-2006, 08:10 PM

I just tell them im busey at the moment but if you give me your home number ill be glad to give you a call back

Bucolic buffalo · 01-14-2006, 07:38 AM

I guess they don't like us. I haven't had more than two in four years since I signed up for the no call list. Either that or they haven't tracked us down yet.

JustCallMeDave · 01-14-2006, 08:09 AM

I just keep in mind that the person making that call probably hates their job, gets abuse all the time for doing the job, and would get another job if they could.

I just say "Not Interested, remove me from your call list" and hang up.

EZLoader · 01-14-2006, 11:36 AM

I'm the nice guy here I guess...

I'm on the no call list but still get the occasional unsolicited call (Washington firefighters, March of Dimes, etc.).

I politely listen for an opening and then I tell them: "Thank you very much for calling, you did a great job of explaining your program, but it is our firm policy to not accept any unsolicited phone calls because we were defrauded a couple of years ago by just such a call. I'm sure you can appreciate that. We are now on the national "do not call list" for that reason as well."

Most often they apologize, say thank you and hang up. If they persist I tell them to "have a great day" and I then hang up. My wife thought I was nuts the first couple of times I tried this kindness approach but now she swears by it. The telemarketers get yelled at so often that when a nice person comes along and treats them with patience and kindness (with a stated policy and valid reason for not accepting the call) they don't take it personally and often go out of their way to be super nice back and don't hassle you anymore.

Give it a try and see what happens. Like Rodney King said" Can't we just all get along"