Anyone have any idea why a marketing research company is harassing us?

[Mkaz]

This is kind of mean, but it might work. Can you sound like a little kid when you talk? If so, answer the phone in a little kid's voice. When they start asking questions, just keep saying, WHAT? over and over again. Even if they ask if your mom or dad are home, just say what? Waste their time for as long as possible. They may just get frustrated and hang up the phone.

I have a young sounding voice, so I have actually been able to avoid telemarketers. I've even been asked if my mommy or daddy was home. It's hysterical. The really funny thing is that I have had relatives call me, and think they were talking to DD13. We sound exactly the same on the phone.

 

[Virgo10]

My husband answers the "unknown" phone calls as "Wong's Chinese Restaurant" in an obnoxiously fake Chinese accent. We've also been "Da Family Pizza" and "Bob and Al's Auto Service", with corresponding bad accents.
Versitile, aren't we?

Between that and the 20 Responses, I've got tears running down my face.

 

[Nana Annie]

A friend of ours had a problem similar to yours. He was being harrassed by a telemarketer. Finally, he got fed up. The next time they called and asked for him, he started sobbing loudly in the phone. "Waaahhhh, we just put him in the ground this morning, sob, snort, sob - he was my best friend, my lover, my soul mate - sobs louder, wails louder - were you his friend too? sobbing even louder - then started asking the telemarketer (all the while making disgusting wailing and sobbing sounds, sniffling and clearing his throat rather grossly) how he knew the dearly departed and was he a good friend? The telemarketer finally hung up and never called again.

 

[CathrynRose]

I always prefer the *Sure! Can you hold on just a second?*

And the phone goes down on the counter, until they hang up. You can do this many times and can become enjoyable if anyone in your family is willing to sing, make farting noises, etc - while the phone is on the counter.

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

You guys are great! What started with an annoying situation has turned into an endless supply of fun activities for me! Thanks!

My husband just called me and I couldn't stop laughing telling him all these suggestions. (CatherynRose, he says he's more than happy to fart for a good cause! )

 

[SamIAm21]

I have an inside source, a good friend of mine, who works in telemarketing told me they usually get paid by the number of calls they can place in one workday. So, the thing they hate the absolute most is being on the phone for a really long time and then have nothing to show for it. So, the longer you can keep them on the line with no results, the less money they make.

Hit 'em where it hurts, right in the ole wallet!

 

[ducklite]

That could be a good point Ducklite.

However, it seems like there would be real difference between being a reporter and possibly publicly printing/distributing someones comments, and simply recording a call at home for this purpose.

I think there would be????

No, there's no legal difference. Legally you MUST get their permission to record the call.

Anne

 

[rt2dz]

This may have already been said, I haven't read the whole thread...

The do not call list does not apply to non-profits, companies you already have a business relationship with or individuals, but any one who calls and calls after you asked not to is breaking federal laws of harrasement. There is an older 1995 law that people tend to forget about with the newer do not call list, but is still valid, that says anyone you ask to stop calling (including nonprofits and previous relationship companies) must. Groups are to maintain personal do not call lists were all you do is ask (and submit in writing) to be put on this list and not bothered again.

Get after your law makers to persue their violations in a different matter. Be persistent!!

 

[rt2dz]

No, there's no legal difference. Legally you MUST get their permission to record the call.

Anne

Depends on the state law where the person doing the recording is. These are state laws, not federal laws so there is no consistency. In some states, like mine, only one person needs to be privy & approve to the recording; the other party does not need to have any knowledge of it at all.

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

This may have already been said, I haven't read the whole thread...

The do not call list does not apply to non-profits, companies you already have a business relationship with or individuals, but any one who calls and calls after you asked not to is breaking federal laws of harrasement. There is an older 1995 law that people tend to forget about with the newer do not call list, but is still valid, that says anyone you ask to stop calling (including nonprofits and previous relationship companies) must. Groups are to maintain personal do not call lists were all you do is ask (and submit in writing) to be put on this list and not bothered again.

Get after your law makers to persue their violations in a different matter. Be persistent!!

That's really interesting, but like I said, the phone company, the FCC, and the other agency I called (can't remember, I'd never heard of it) all said that there was nothing I could do. They said I can try sending them a demand to stop with certified mail, but that they really didn't have to even with this.

Eveyone keeps saying, this can't be true! And I agree, but I just don't know who else to ask.

 

[Grandpa Simpson]

No, there's no legal difference. Legally you MUST get their permission to record the call.

Anne

Not true. There is a federal law governing recording telephone calls. The federal Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2510 et seq., prohibits the willful interception of telephone communication by means of any electronic, mechanical, or other device without an applicable exemption. However, there are exceptions. And it is unsettled whether a court will hold in a given case that federal law "pre-empts" state law.

While the U.S. federal law only requires one-party consent, many states have accepted different laws. In some states all parties must give their consent or at least be notified that the call is about to be recorded (with necessary opt-out option: if you don’t like them to record the call, you can ask them to stop recording). There also was a case law decision from many years ago (the 1950's) that went to the Supreme Court and affirmed that the federal law does not supersede state authority/statutes unless the call or the tap crosses state lines – that is why each state went ahead and established their own guideline/statute.

States Requiring One Party Notification
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, District Of Columbia, Georgia,
Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

States Requiring Two Party Notification
California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan
Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Washington

Source: http://www.callcorder.com/phone-recording-law-america.htm

 

[SleepyMom]

We get a lot of calls that are for DH only, when I ask to take a message they tell me it is a courtesy call for him only... well guess what, he's not going to talk to you any more than I am. They drive me crazy and since I am a SAHM I get a lot of these calls.

My favorite response to one was when we were moving to this house from another town. I had stayed behind so DD could finish the last few days of school, someone called for DH and I told them that he had packed his bags and moved out (I wasn't lying ) and that I didn't think he would ever come back there again They stammered and stuttered and then said goodbye.

I think you should use the airhorn idea, a few blasts in their ear should stop them from calling ever again.

 

[Nancyg56]

I don't have the patience to do anything but hang up. My DS, on the other hand, hates unsolicited calls, so he just puts the phone down. "Hello, hello. can you hear me????? Are you there????"

Years ago, I got a call from a company paid to call for money. I told them to send me the info in regards to the organization, I wanted the complete report. Then I would decide if I was going to donate. A few weeks later, my dh says he got a call for the organization stating that I was going to be sent to a collection agency for not paying my commitment. Well, I called the organization and explained to them in terms that could not be mistaken that I would not allow these tactics to continue, and that I had no problem contacting my local news with this story if I ever heard from them again. I think that I am on their "DO not call EVER again" list now.

 

[Grandpa Simpson]

To the OP -- that is one option you might consider that is completely "legit" and nice as it were: contact a local ombudsman at a radio, TV or newspaper. They may be able to resolve any problems and get this company off your telephone. Usually just the hint of negative publicity will scare them away. (But it's not quite as much fun as some of these other ideas!!)

 

[Chicago526]

I get one call a day, I'm guessing it's the same company, it always says "unlisted number" on the id. I just pick up, wait 5 seconds, and hang up (I can't stand to let the phone ring, then the machine picks up, it's just too anoying). They don't call back again the same day, so I just tollerate it. I think I might buy a whistle, though....

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

I just stopped home and there they were! They don't leave messages, but when I checked the missed calls, there it was, ________RESEARCH,
3/28, 10:22. Lately they have been calling in the evening.

I know, who cares if I don't have to talk to them, but in the same breath, how weird!!!!!!

 

[Rajah]

I had a company do this to me once. After telling them about a dozen times to remove me from the list, I finally got angry and told them that this was their last warning. The lady didn't even have time to identify who they were and we didn't have caller ID at the time, but she'd called often enough that I knew her voice. So I told them this was harassment and if they called one more time I would be contacting the BBB and the news regarding their behavior.

Never heard from them again.

 

[Nana Annie]

Be careful with the airhorn idea. You certainly don't want your next call to be from the firm's lawyer accusing you of assault for damaging the caller's eardrum. Make sure the noise is loud and obnoxious, but not loud enough to do ear damage over the phone lines.

I too have heard the best way to get rid of these people is to leave them on the line so long that it takes away from their productivity levels.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Just curious.......do you give out your telephone number to stores when the clerks asks for it?

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

Just curious.......do you give out your telephone number to stores when the clerks asks for it?

no, I can barely shop at radio shack because of it. They just won't take no for an answer. I won't even get those frequent shopper cards all the stores want you to sign up for because I refuse to have 900 cards in my wallet. But we are listed.