DH just got told off by a telemarketer...

[PhotobearSam]

We just got one of those annoying automated calls that tells you you just WON 1200 travel points and ton press 9 to claim your prize. We have gotten 4 calls this week and DH is sick of them so he pressed 9.

Here in Canada, if you ask to be taken off a calling list they have 30 days to do so and if they call you again, they are charged.

Well this guy comes on the phone and DH plainly says, "Take me off your list" and the guy goes bonkers. He says "No, we will not take you off the list, we will call you back every 5 minutes, and by the way, you are paying for this call..."

Well DH just hung up on him at this point...What a jerk.

 

[Anewman]

If you press 9, they now know it is an active phone number which will in turn place you on more lists.

Yes telemarketers are the devil.

 

[MamaLema]

We just got one of those annoying automated calls that tells you you just WON 1200 travel points and ton press 9 to claim your prize. We have gotten 4 calls this week and DH is sick of them so he pressed 9.

Here in Canada, if you ask to be taken off a calling list they have 30 days to do so and if they call you again, they are charged.

Well this guy comes on the phone and DH plainly says, "Take me off your list" and the guy goes bonkers. He says "No, we will not take you off the list, we will call you back every 5 minutes, and by the way, you are paying for this call..."

Well DH just hung up on him at this point...What a jerk.

God, how I hate telemarketers. I get those "you have won a trip to XXXX and all you have to do is come down here for a seminar and then you'll get your prize" at least once a week!!

Last time DH told them "if it's such a great trip prize, how about I give it to you. You can take your wife and kids and that way you won't call us for a week "

 

[carrie s]

My dH likes to have fun with telemarketers.last night when one phoned to talk to me,I gave him the phone and he pretended to be me.Sometimes he tries to sell things to the telemarketer.The funniest was when he gave the phone to our 3 year old,Jake just kept talking away to the telemarketer tell the telemarketer finally hung up.

 

[starwood]

I've heard a good idea is to the them to hold on - there is someone at your door and then just put the phone down until they hang up. They can't call anyone else while the phone is off the hook.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

we just answer and when they ask for someone we say "hold on" put the phone down and eventually they hang up.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

If I do answer, and usually I don't, I just say that I'm not interested and hang up quickly. They can be such persistant jerks.

 

[Chicago526]

we just answer and when they ask for someone we say "hold on" put the phone down and eventually they hang up.

I do something like this myself. I have caller ID and can tell the marketer calls from people I want to talk to. If I just let it ring and go to the answering machine, it's just anoying (it rings 5 times, then I have to listen to my outgoing message, then I have to hear the dial tone for 10 seconds after they hang up, and meanwhile I can't hear the tv). So, I just pick up the line and put the phone down. They usually hang up after about 10 seconds. Much faster and much less noise!

 

[KimR]

The best five bucks I ever spent was to be put on the Do Not Call list. No more telemarketers. It was getting so ridiculous that one day by 10:00 am I had had 4 telemarketers call me. That was the last straw. It is amazing how much our quality of live has improved now that the phone isn't ringing of the hook with telemarketers.

 

[Kycha]

The best five bucks I ever spent was to be put on the Do Not Call list. No more telemarketers. It was getting so ridiculous that one day by 10:00 am I had had 4 telemarketers call me. That was the last straw. It is amazing how much our quality of live has improved now that the phone isn't ringing of the hook with telemarketers.

You had to pay to be put on the list??? Was that the federal list or your state list? I know it was free for us for national and PA. But, I think that $5 is well worth it.

Now, if only we can get a Do Not Mail list, I will be a happy camper. I probably throw away about 10 pounds worth of junk mail every week. It is obnoxious.

 

[luvdiz2]

My hubby assures them that he doesn't want his carpet cleaned, or whatever is totally different than they are trying to sell. He keeps insisting he doesn't need it cleaned, doesn't have any carpet, can't read the newspaper, whatever. Drives the telemarketers crazy as they try to explain what they want

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

The Do Not Call list was a government thing and is FREE...

If an annoying telemarketer called and I wasn't totally busy I'd just go on and on in a "Valley Girl" type of thing. "Oh MY GOSH, I JUST have to tell you what Sissy did today....." I'd just make up totally stupid drivel and not let them get a word in edgewise. They'd hang up....

 

[mickeyboat]

We never get telemarketer calls any more thanks to the Do Not Call List.

Denae

 

[carrie s]

My hubby assures them that he doesn't want his carpet cleaned, or whatever is totally different than they are trying to sell. He keeps insisting he doesn't need it cleaned, doesn't have any carpet, can't read the newspaper, whatever. Drives the telemarketers crazy as they try to explain what they want

I'll have to tell my DH about that one.

 

[Pamlur]

A friend of mine kept getting the calls from one of those travel scam companies, they always asked for her husband. The last time they called, she answered in her best little girl voice. When the caller asked for her husband by name, she said "My daddy's not here anymore, he left us". Then the called asked to speak to "her mommy", and she said "She's next door at Aunt (xxxx)'s trailer because we are going to live there next week. We can't afford to live in our trailer anymore. Do you want me to give you that number?" The caller said "no" and hung up.

 

[joshsmom]

We never get telemarketer calls any more thanks to the Do Not Call List.

Denae

We're on the Do Not Call list here, but if you have had a previous relationship with the caller, they can still call you. We have a window company call us CONSTANTLY that we have done business with in the past--even though we have told them to take us off their list. I thought they had a certain amount of time to do that, but apparently not. Or they're breaking the law--one of the two!!

 

[cybrkitn]

The best five bucks I ever spent was to be put on the Do Not Call list. No more telemarketers. It was getting so ridiculous that one day by 10:00 am I had had 4 telemarketers call me. That was the last straw. It is amazing how much our quality of live has improved now that the phone isn't ringing of the hook with telemarketers.

You had to pay to be put on the list??? Was that the federal list or your state list? I know it was free for us for national and PA. But, I think that $5 is well worth it.

Now, if only we can get a Do Not Mail list, I will be a happy camper. I probably throw away about 10 pounds worth of junk mail every week. It is obnoxious.

I'm wondering the same thing. KimR, you had to pay for it? I put us on a few years ago and didn't have to pay.

Kycha, they do have something for junk mail. Here's a web site for the Direct Marketing Association:
http://www.dmaconsumers.org/consumerassistance.html

 

[KimR]

You had to pay to be put on the list??? Was that the federal list or your state list? I know it was free for us for national and PA. But, I think that $5 is well worth it.

Now, if only we can get a Do Not Mail list, I will be a happy camper. I probably throw away about 10 pounds worth of junk mail every week. It is obnoxious.

Yes, this was a state list that I signed up for before the national list was available.

And there actually is a list you can sign up for to eliminate most (not all) of the junk mail. Here is a link for you: http://www.ecofuture.org/jnkmail.html

 

[Kycha]

I'm wondering the same thing. KimR, you had to pay for it? I put us on a few years ago and didn't have to pay.

Kycha, they do have something for junk mail. Here's a web site for the Direct Marketing Association:
http://www.dmaconsumers.org/consumerassistance.html

Yes, this was a state list that I signed up for before the national list was available.

And there actually is a list you can sign up for to eliminate most (not all) of the junk mail. Here is a link for you: http://www.ecofuture.org/jnkmail.html

Thank you both cybrkitn and KimR!!! I will be checking these both out when I get home from work.

 

[MareQ]

Now, if only we can get a Do Not Mail list, I will be a happy camper. I probably throw away about 10 pounds worth of junk mail every week. It is obnoxious.

Don't throw that stuff away! What a waste of good paper! I open every single envelope - remove the prepaid "return" envelope, toss any papers with my name on them , everything else I will then tear into strips, tuck it into their return envelope and mail it back to them. Now they're paying to get their own junk mail sent back to them and it gives some much needed revenue to my local post office