How do I get telemarketer to go go away?

[MommaBear]

Despite the fact that I am on the national Do Not Call registry, I get robo calls for "Your second and final call to lower your interst rates" Even if I wait on line to speak to a person, the minute I ask them to take my name off the list or pay me now that they keep calling, they just hang up. The number does not accept incoming calls. I am so frustrated that I am thinking of keeping a police whistle next to the phone to annoy their ear drums. Anyone have an idea of how I can get this to go away????

 

[ronparise]

dont answer it

 

[AwayWeGo]

Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.

How do I get telemarketer to go go away?

Click here for the song.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Sea Six]

At least file a complaint on the Do Not Call Registry site.

 

[Talent312]

Ever hear of Caller ID? They now have voice Caller ID which speaks the name.
Simply do not answer, unless that is, you are insanely curious about...
-- Who's that "unknown" or "out of area" caller.
-- Some mystery area code you've never seen before.

I only answer folks who I know and am willing to speak with.
Anyone else can leave a message. They rarely do.

 

[Passepartout]

I don't have caller ID, so used to get these from time to time. Hanging up does no good. Telling them to take your name off the list doesn't work, but stringing them along, like, "Oh, I have been waiting for your call all day long. I'm a senior and I'm soooo lonely, please just talk to me for a while." Click. Buzz. No more calls.

I think it's better to just waste their time. They WILL drop you from their list.

Jim

 

[Big Matt]

your do not call registry may have expired

 

[mecllap]

There is no law that says you have to answer a ringing phone. If it's not a time that someone you want to talk with is likely calling, don't answer. If you don't have caller ID, use an answering machine to "screen calls" -- someone you know or want to hear from will leave a message, and you can catch (answer) the call while they're leaving a message, or call them right back. Someone who really needs to get a hold of you will call back, or at least leave a message.

Not sure there is a way to stop these calls completely. The Do Not Call list does not keep all telemarketers away. "Charities" can call, political flacks can call, and those "you have a relationship with" (magazines, timeshares, etc.). But, do check to be sure your Do Not Call sign-up hasn't expired (you have to redo it every few years).

 

[MommaBear]

I didn't realize registration on the "do not call" list expired. I have signed back up with them- thanks for the info.

I do not always answer a number I do not recognize and when I am home I do screen a lot of my calls, it is just more annoying when I am on the 3rd floor and the phone is on the second and I have just run down the stairs. I also make the mistake of being polite, as I realize these people are just trying to earn a living.

 

[Htoo0]

These characters are operating far outside the law and are ignoring the Do Not Call list. According to what I've found on the 'net they (at least sometimes) even spoof the numbers from which they're calling. I'm thinking of one of those air horns like used at sporting events and ear plugs.

 

[BevL]

You need to get phones that show the ID on each handset. We have three handsets in a 1000 square foot condo and now that the batteries seem to be shot, we're going to four. All show the name and/or number.

And add us to the people who only answer calls that we recognize.

 

[pjrose]

I don't have caller ID, my DNC registration is up to date, and I get this call frequently.

I usually just hang up. Occasionally I'll press the number to talk to someone (so I can say I'm on the DNC call list - not that they'll stop calling) or the number so that they won't call again. As you found, it doesn't work - busy signal and/or dead air.

Does "Rachel at Cardholder Services" also call you? Just google - she's (or they're) one of the worst offenders.

Funny story, though.....I usually take the phone into the bathroom with me, b/c of DD's medical issues I never know if I'll get a call that she's in an ER....just a week ago, I headed for the bathroom, hesitated b/c I didn't have the phone, and decided "oh ok, it'll just be for a minute. But if "Rachel" calls me, I'm gonna be really mad!" Reached the potty and guess what...the phone rang. Ran as best I could back to the kitchen and it was "Rachel"! This time I tried pushing the number to give someone a piece of my mind, but of course got disconnected. Can't win.

 

[fishingguy]

Rachel was the worst that we were getting for a while, but there were others that weren't far behind. We got them on our cell phones and home phone at all hours of the day and evening.

We finally stopped answering calls that we didn't recognize the caller, and after a month they magically stopped.

 

[theo]

Another approach...

I think it's better to just waste their time.

A late friend of mine, with far more patience than I possess, would briefly pretend great interest when receiving such calls, but would then quite suddenly say "Excuse me for just a moment, there is someone at my door -- hold on and I'll be right back". He would then just calmly place the phone down on the counter, walk away, and go on about his business and hang the phone up later. Who knows how long these intrusive saps waited for his return?

Of course, this approach would obviously be pointless and ineffective with "robo" calls having only a recording instead of a live caller at the other end.

 

[vacationhopeful]

A late friend of mine, with far more patience than I possess, would pretend great interest when receiving such calls, but would then quite suddenly say "Excuse me for just a moment, there is someone at my door -- hold on and I'll be right back". He would then just calmly place the phone down on the counter, walk away, and go on about his business and hang the phone up later. Who knows how long these intrusive saps waited for his return?

Of course, this approach would obviously be pointless and ineffective with "robo" calls having only a recording instead of a live caller at the other end.

Do this also. Much less emotionally charged, but telemarketters are paying phone, lights, electric bills along with labor costs. ...Hence, my pain hits their pockets.

 

[persia]

Join the 51% of the US that have gotten rid of their landlines....

 

[theo]

Not really a "solution"...

Join the 51% of the US that have gotten rid of their landlines....

I'm certain that the "card services" calls are received every bit as frequently on cell phones. In fact, I've never heard from the proverbial "Rachel at card services" at home, but have probably received 6-8 robo calls from "card services" during about the past month on my cell phone. Both phone numbers are "do not call" registered and both registrations are current.

In short, these intrusive parasites (and /or their sequential auto dialers) likley neither know nor care whether it's a land line or a cell phone they are calling...

 

[UWSurfer]

A benefit to switching our phone service around to Google Voice & Magic Jack was how these calls are now handled. In another thread I posted on switching our home phone over to a voice over IP service, keeping our home number by porting it over to Google Voice (GV). Google Voice's primary feature is it forwards calls to it to as many phones numbers as you'd like to be reached at simultaneously.

Thus, people calling our "home" number get forwarded to our home phone (magic jack over IP), cellphone & work numbers if/when we choose to have those active. We normally only have it forward to the home Magic Jack phone unless we're away on an extended trip. Better than that though, Google Voice screens calls for you asking a new caller to identify themselves prior to ringing the number so the call will be announced prior to you accepting the call. Even better, if it goes to voicemail GV will not only record the message, but then send you a transcription of the message as well as an attachment with the message to play back.

Most of the time we simply read the transcription but when it doesn't get it quite right and is goofy I simply listen to the message.

Not to mention, you can make calls for free using your computer and google voice and it marries up to other products like G-mail seamlessly. Sprint has a google voice integration available for their cellphones which integrates well.

I mention all this because while we get robo calls, particularly by candidates and campaigns around election time, it's not as intrusive as they simply come as e-mails.

Also have been very impressed with GV because when someone leaves us a message when we're out, we get a text message notification within a minute of it being left & and e-mail as well. We're now far more in touch with calls that come in than finding them at the end of the day when we get home on the old answering machine. I also use GV on my laptop for making and receiving calls & it's just like using a speaker phone and the calls are free!

I've been very old school about keeping our analog phone line at the house up until this summer and frankly the switch was one of the best things we've done in quite awhile. The key to it all was upgrading our home internet service for increased bandwidth, which at full price is still less expensive than what we paid for home phone & DSL internet previously.

 

[MichaelColey]

We've had dozens of these calls over the last several years, despite being on the no call list. I think they're operating offshore somewhere and spoofing US phone numbers, and thus could care less about US laws and do not call lists.

They just hang up if you ask to be removed, ask for a supervisor, mention the do not call list, or anything like that.

I've tried to string them on before, and they're very good at figuring out if you're doing that and they just hang up.

Also, if you tell them credit card rates and balances that you want to consolidate but they're too low, they will just hang up.

 

[pjrose]

A late friend of mine, with far more patience than I possess, would briefly pretend great interest when receiving such calls, but would then quite suddenly say "Excuse me for just a moment, there is someone at my door -- hold on and I'll be right back". He would then just calmly place the phone down on the counter, walk away, and go on about his business and hang the phone up later. Who knows how long these intrusive saps waited for his return?

Of course, this approach would obviously be pointless and ineffective with "robo" calls having only a recording instead of a live caller at the other end.

I do this too sometimes. I told a basement waterproofing telemarketer that it sounded like a great service, and did SHE use it? No, she lived in an apartment. Well, did the apartment building have a basement? yes. Did the owner of the building use it? she didn't know. Was the apartment building's basement wet? just damp Oh my goodness, I hope it doesn't smell of mildew and mold - that's such a health hazard! etc etc etc. It was great fun. Usually I don't have the time or inclination, but occasionally.

Another friend just lays the phone down for awhile, then hangs up later.

If they ask for a specific person, you also could say "he's deceased" and start crying, or say "he's moved" and give them his new number - county jail, cemetery, attorney general, etc.


read here about The Telemarketer Fun Game:
http://www.identafone.com/fungame.html

But one thing I would not do is blow a shrill whistle or airhorn into the phone. These are people with crappy minimum wage jobs (if that - maybe they're on commission), I doubt the ones on the phones are the actual scammers, and especially in the case of fundraising or political calls, or calls from a legitimate local business, I'm always polite.

PJ

 

[JeffW]

Verizon used to have (unfortunately for a monthly fee) a service I called "Caller-ID block block". When caller-id came out, it was great. Then people started blocking their numbers, not so great anymore. Basically, if a call comes in without a caller-id number, it hits a recorded, "...this caller does not accept blocked calls. Please speak your name, or enter the access code."

If it's people you know, you can give them a code, and the call rings thru normally. If not, and it's a real person, they speak their name, then your phone rings, and plays their name. If you want to take the call, you hit a key. If not, you hang up, and the caller never gets through.

Of course, if the caller is spoofing a number (sending a caller id string, vs "out of area" or "private caller"), it doesn't work. And as mentioned, there is (was) a fee for that.

But if you get that many calls, and you can't find a better way to screen them, it's an option to consider.

Jeff

 

[geekette]

file the complaint then I think you pocket $50 per new occurrence

 

[ann824]

We have our phone service through Suddenlink, our cable company. We have a feature that allows us to block up to 10 phone calls. It is very easy to use. It does not work for calls that say unknown or out of area. For those calls I use this panasonic phone. It rings once and then disconnects the call. There are two other phones that work too.

How do I stop them from calling?
1.Ask the unwanted caller to stop calling and put you on their do not call list (they are legally required to comply).
2.If your number is registered with the National Do Not Call Registry you can file a complaint with the FTC.
3.Block them with a call blocker:
◦Uniden DECT1288 blocks up to 20 numbers, plus Private and Unknown, with the reject tone, without ringing the phone.
◦ Panasonic KX-TG106 blocks up to 30 numbers, plus all unidentified callers, with a busy tone, after the phone rings once.
◦ JF Teck Caller ID with Ring Controller blocks up to 70 numbers, and can be set to always allow up to 100 to ring through.

If you want to know who is calling try this website.

http://whocalled.us/

 

[dougp26364]

Despite the fact that I am on the national Do Not Call registry, I get robo calls for "Your second and final call to lower your interst rates" Even if I wait on line to speak to a person, the minute I ask them to take my name off the list or pay me now that they keep calling, they just hang up. The number does not accept incoming calls. I am so frustrated that I am thinking of keeping a police whistle next to the phone to annoy their ear drums. Anyone have an idea of how I can get this to go away????

BLowing a whistle into the phone could (but probably won't) lead to assualt and battery charges. If you damage their ear drums, you could be held liable in a civil law suit. Having worked for a telemarketer years ago, I can tell you that they can and sometimes do go after serious offenders. Especially if their employee suffers hearing loss.

Just don't answer your phone. If you don't have caller ID, then get it and don't answer calls from people you don't know. The more you answer, the more they'll call.

The problem with the DNC is it only eliminated the legitimate telemarketers. The scammers don't care about the DNC. They either opperate outside the US or move often enough they don't get caught. The unintended consequences of that law was to eliminate the moderate paying, lower skilled jobs but we still suffer the calls. It did no good but did do some harm IMHO.

 

[MommaBear]

read here about The Telemarketer Fun Game:
http://www.identafone.com/fungame.html

But one thing I would not do is blow a shrill whistle or airhorn into the phone. These are people with crappy minimum wage jobs (if that - maybe they're on commission),
PJ

I like the game!

I agree that the person calling is not the original scammer, but my frustration leads me to fantasies about the whistle, or calling them during the night when they are sleeping (I do shift work, so sometimes the calls are during my sleep time). I have been known to ask them when they are going to be eating dinner so I can call them when THEY are eating. I will try the "ignore them and hope they go away" policy.