[stopping] Telemarketers

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crow
Posts: 256
Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 3:49 pm

[stopping] Telemarketers

Post by crow »

I'm being bombarde by calls from two telemarketers. I'm on both the sate and national Do Not Call list and they don't work. Is there a place you can pay to have your name removed from lists? Does anything short of getting rid of the land line stop this? I'm getting up to 4 calls a day offering a free GE security system and additional calls from Card Services. In all, I get a minimum of 20 per week. It's driving me nuts. I've asked to be removed from their lists and nothing works. I've reported them numerous times to the Do Not Call violation registry. Any suggestions? Any idea of anything that can be bought or paid for to eliminate this? The laws that are supposed to prevent this are laughable.
THY4373
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by THY4373 »

Good luck. I do think paying to have your number unlisted makes a big difference. I rarely get marketing calls and when I do they are usually looking for the previous owner of the line. That said a lot of these telemarketers are overseas and so largely beyond the reach of our law and they are frequently using spoofed numbers on the caller ID so when you report them they are not really traceable to the true source. At my company somebody has been randomly spoofing some of our numbers and we then get thousands of calls back from justifiably mad folks. A cell phone is no protection anymore. I'd say half the folks that have called our spoofed numbers were from cell phones (based on a Google search). The breakdown was 50% cell, 25% landline, 25% unknown.

Edit: I will add that I think the scammers are scraping numbers from the Internet just like they do for email (this is based on my investigating the spoofing at my company). Many of the numbers that called us back were listed somewhere on Google (frequently Craigslist). If you are going to list something for sale with your number I'd use Google voice or some other disposable number.
Last edited by THY4373 on Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
sport
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Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: Telemarketers

Post by sport »

You can use an answering machine to screen your calls. When one of their machines call, you can let their machine talk to your machine.
Jeff
ILnative
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by ILnative »

or get caller ID. I don't answer calls where I don't immediately recognize the number....saves a lot of hassle.
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prudent
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by prudent »

I don't know what can be done. I get them too. My landline phone has a block call feature that works off Caller ID, but the numbers keep changing. I've decided that the only way I can fight back is to waste as much of their time as possible because at some point I hope they will voluntarily stop calling when they see it's counter-productive.

I press the number to talk to a representative, and respond like an imbecile until they hang up. It might be working, as the "Card Services" people have not called in a week or so.

Do you have a balance of more than $10,000 on your credit cards?
"Yes."
We can help you lower that debt and save you a lot of money.
"Great, I like saving money."
OK, can you tell me what cards you have and the balances on each? And for your own security, please do not give me the card numbers. Just the name of the card and your estimate of the balance.
"I have a blue one."
OK, what bank is it from?
"The big bank in town."
Yes, what's the name of the bank?
"It's First something"
Is it First National?
"I don't know for sure, the print is kind of worn off. I use it a lot, that's how I ended up with so much debt."
Well, can you look at a recent statement to get the name of the bank?
"Yes, the number is 421905..."
Sir, please do not give me the number. It's for your own protection.
"OK, when they moved the bank they took down the big sign."
Excuse me?
"They took down the big sign. It was easy to read. Now the sign is small."
Yes, what is the name of the bank?
"First something. 25 thousand. Might be 26 by now. Wait, I think it's First Nigerian."
Do you mean First Niagara?
"What 's a Niagara? Is that that man pill? Is that really a bank too?
<click>
Topic Author
crow
Posts: 256
Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 3:49 pm

Re: Telemarketers

Post by crow »

I have family outside the U.S. and when they call, the caller ID says "unknown number" so I can't skip answering. I've never listed my number online anywhere, so that's not the problem. I had not thought of having it unlisted by the phone company. I'll try that and maybe it will help. Thank you for the responses.
clearwater
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by clearwater »

You need to throw technology at this problem. And unfortunately the traditional phone companies don't have it.

You can use Google Voice, which will let you set up rules to deny or screen inbound calls. For a free service, it's pretty darned good.

You can use a mobile phone and a call block or screener program, and set custom ring tones for friends and otherwise set the default to "silent".

Answering machine screening etc doesn't help since they are going to keep calling back. Over time the number will just start getting resold from list to list, and the amount of calls will likely increase.

The Do Not Call list is useless. Most of the calls are being routed by spam calling operations using VoIP or overseas, and they are impossible to prosecute. The government isn't going to help you on this. Don't waste your time filling out complaints as the FTC is totally outmanned on this issue.

Trying to "talk" to the spammers is compounding the problem ... by talking at all the number is listed as "hot" (functional, answered by a human) and that number is almost always immediately resold *at a profit*. I know people think they are being clever by "wasting time" of the operator, but you're just making it worse AND you've just make the caller money to boot!

This is a race to the bottom. Phone screening technology could have been introduced by the landline companies better than anyone, by being built into the SS7 switching network. Instead of innovating, they wanted their $30/month (when you could get a more full featured mobile phone for $10/month!).

The mobile phone companies offer more services. VoIP carriers offer even more. There is little hope for landlines anymore as the technology has moved on.

The only reason five years ago people needed landlines was to support a fax machine (who uses a fax anymore?). Then the last reason was to support home alarm systems, and now you can make those work over a cable modem or a cellular data connection.

Save your $30/month, and just port your phone number to another service. You'll save money and get more functionality.
reggahs
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by reggahs »

There is a way to make these telemarketers pay. I have neither the time nor the inclination but there are a number of scripts floating around online that can guide you through the process. Essentially you kid the caller into giving you the company information you need to extract money ($500?? per violation) from them if they ever call again which they usually do.
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climber2020
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by climber2020 »

Threaten to take them to small claims court.
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telemark
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by telemark »

I haven't actually tried this, but it sounds promising:
So, now my friends (if I've programmed in their numbers) hear, "Please wait a moment" and my phone rings. Others hear, "If you know the extension number you wish to reach..." Of course, there aren't any extension numbers in Emory Cottage, but the message concludes, "Otherwise, please press two." Any human being can get through to me by pressing two.
http://blog.emorycottage.net/2010/04/ju ... e-let.html
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Robert C F
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by Robert C F »

I usually start by asking them why they are calling a number on the "do not call registry," then I ask them their company name so I can make a complaint. They usually hang up somewhere in this process. I do file a complaint on each call, have the site bookmarked. I seem to be getting less calls.
jwtietz
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by jwtietz »

I got one of these, http://www.ebay.com/itm/CALLER-ID-BLOCK ... 56558642bc - they got me the first call but it disconnects them after they are listed. Looks cheap but does the job. I bought a second and the price was like $24. My way of fighting back.
dimdum
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by dimdum »

They may be calling from outside US or using fake Caller ID but at end of day they are still selling service or products for a US based company.
Ask them what company they represent and tell them politely to take you off the list. It usually work.

If the same company calls back, report to ftc.
LAbob
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Location: Los Angeles

Re: Telemarketers

Post by LAbob »

When I have a moment, I love to act real interested and repeatedly ask them to repeat and talk louder because their voice is coming across very soft. Within a short time, I have them yelling and out of breath, at which point I say "no thank you" and hang up.
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BolderBoy
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by BolderBoy »

If you have a child, preferably a female child, of about say age 3 or 4, give the phone to her and let her practice her telephone skills with the caller.
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Rager1
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by Rager1 »

We dropped our landline. It's been great since.

Ed
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Toons
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by Toons »

Rager1 wrote:We dropped our landline. It's been great since.

Ed
+1 It's worked for me for years
"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity" –Bruce Lee
aquifer
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by aquifer »

I haven't had a landline for many years and use only my cell phone. I have a Google Voice number that I use every time I have to enter or leave my phone number, especially online. I only give my real number to friends and family, coworkers and customers as needed. GV has good options for filtering and managing incoming calls. I love it and highly recommend it. It would work for landlines too.
Occupier
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by Occupier »

If you want to complain to the people who enforce the do not call law, go to www.FTC.gov and in their consumer protection section you can fill out a complaint online. They do periodically chase the bad guys out of business. Dave
littlebird
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by littlebird »

clearwater wrote:

Answering machine screening etc doesn't help since they are going to keep calling back. Over time the number will just start getting resold from list to list, and the amount of calls will likely increase. .
I find answering machine screening quite effective. I don't pretend that I'm not home however. That *will* have them calling back. I have my outgoing message frankly state that if I'm home, I'll pick up only when they say their name. Telemarketers of course do not. They hang up and usually call back only once or twice, hanging up part-way through the message when they recognize it and remember I'm *that* number. Once in a while I'm expecting a call and pick up rather than screen. If it's a telemarketer, I slip the receiver under a sofa cushion and let them waste their time for a while. They usually don't call back after that treatment either. I prefer the low tech solutions when available. If I find the name or # of a telemarketer, I do report it and I'm no longer getting calls that originate from several trade association lists.
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conradjr
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Re: [stopping] Telemarketers

Post by conradjr »

I know how you feel. I've received several unsolicited calls, too, and indeed, they're frustrating. I did not place my phone number on the DNC list for nothing. But the calls did continue and I got tired of filing complaints against these nuisance callers.
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conradjr
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Re: [stopping] Telemarketers

Post by conradjr »

So I reported the calls to http://www.callercenter.com and that was where I received an advice to contact my telephone service provider and have them block the caller's phone number. And that was effective in filtering their future calls from coming through.

And I think you can do the same. You may have a lot of nuisance callers but you just have to contact your telephone company and give them all the phone numbers at once. That should take more than a few minutes.
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BruceM
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Re: [stopping] Telemarketers

Post by BruceM »

On our cell phones, we've installed the free app 'Call Control', which will automatically reject any calls from known spammers or robocallers and any caller whose caller ID is 'blocked', and gives me the option of immediately directing to my voicemail any calls that are not on my directory. We've only had it installed on our phones for about 3 months, but we have received no more junk calls.

We have no such option on our landline. So if the call comes in and caller ID is not a number we know or is unknown or blocked, then we let the call go to voicemail and listen to see if we recognize the voice.

I used to faithfully report to the DNC registry all the junk calls we got...but it didn't seem to make any difference.

BruceM
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SnapShots
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Re: [stopping] Telemarketers

Post by SnapShots »

We have a second home in the mountains. Cell service is spotty and we needed a landline. Telemarketers were driving us crazy during vacations. I now unplug our phone from the wall when we leave and that has stopped ALL telemarketing calls. Why, I don't know.

If a phone rings and especially if you have an answering machine, this encourages telemarketers to keep calling. I understand it feels good to tell the person off who calls, but it only encourages more calls.

The PROBLEM is being bothered the phone ringing all the time. ATT has a feature to block calls, with blocked numbers but the telemarkers got smart. They now list locale phone numbers, the calls are allowed through and Caller ID is almost useless.

We rarely answer our landline. We have it for safety purposes as we have grandchildren living with us and sometimes cell phones don't work.

I'm going to check out Google Voice. Thanks for the tip.
Last edited by SnapShots on Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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likegarden
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Re: [stopping] Telemarketers

Post by likegarden »

We have caller ID and an answering machine. Nowadays a $10 phone displays the calling phone number. Our TV via cable shows the calling phone number and name too. So we only answer phone numbers and names we know and have peace. Whoever has an urgent message can leave that on the answering machine. No trouble here with telemarketers, we never answer, we never argue with them!
Sidney
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Re: [stopping] Telemarketers

Post by Sidney »

Bernd wrote:We have caller ID and an answering machine. Nowadays a $10 phone displays the calling phone number. Our TV via cable shows the calling phone number and name too. So we only answer phone numbers and names we know and have peace. Whoever has an urgent message can leave that on the answering machine. No trouble here with telemarketers, we never answer, we never argue with them!
That is what we do. Our digital cordless phones also allow you to customize the ring based in the caller's number so for many of our family/friends numbers we have a ring tone that is unique.
I always wanted to be a procrastinator.
exigent
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Re: [stopping] Telemarketers

Post by exigent »

Our cordless phone (Panasonic, not sure which model) lets you block numbers. This requires caller ID service but it's a handy feature since repeat offenders often show up as the same # whenever they call. If you can customize the ringer, another possibility would be to use a silent "tone" for numbers you don't want to deal with. They'll call but you'll never hear it.
Sidney
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Re: [stopping] Telemarketers

Post by Sidney »

exigent wrote:Our cordless phone (Panasonic, not sure which model) lets you block numbers. This requires caller ID service but it's a handy feature since repeat offenders often show up as the same # whenever they call. If you can customize the ringer, another possibility would be to use a silent "tone" for numbers you don't want to deal with. They'll call but you'll never hear it.
One problem with this is that there are so many numbers coming in -- they move around. We also get a lot of "unknown name, unknown number" calls, which we ignore.

But this could be a good solution for one of my in-laws numbers... :wink:
I always wanted to be a procrastinator.
pinecrest
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Post by pinecrest »

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soaring
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Re: Telemarketers

Post by soaring »

Toons wrote:
Rager1 wrote:We dropped our landline. It's been great since.

Ed
+1 It's worked for me for years
I don't have the expense of a cell phone and my home phone land line is $13.50 + tax. Long distance is 3.5c - 6c per minute with no monthly fee. I wait until the end of call and usually, not always, there is an opt out of future calls. Now I get about 2-4 calls monthly...that is all. Had the number over 5 yrs. On the DNC list. Everything works fairly well.
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