Increase in survey phone calls & very pushy

[Silent1CB]

No idea what I've done recently to have had such an increase in phone calls for surverys.

One called Bannon & Co (sp?) has called 3 times in 3 days for a banking survey. Each time, I'm polite and state I'm not interested.

One was at dinner time. grrr.

Its 8:45pm and they just called for the 3rd time. I waited for a pause in her spiel, and politely said "your organization has called 3 times in 3 days. Could you please remove me from your list."

Her reply? "You don't want to give your opinion?"

I repeated what I had said. Exactly. A little sterner.

She repeated her statement. WTH?

So I repeated it again, even more stern.

She replies with an attitude "OK".

What in the world?

 

[Abbie]

Caller id is your friend!

If you don't want to do that, rather than say "remove me from your list" or any other variation, say "put me on your do not call list". For some reason, these are the magic words that seem to make them stop in their tracks!

 

[3boymthr]

You are NOT alone.

I am on the do not call list but lately it doesn't seem to be helping since survey takers and companies with whom you have done business or to whom you have donated money (here's the really annoying part) and their affiliated companies are exempt from those rules.

I have caller ID but for all these companies it just states Out of Area.

Unfortunately so do the phone numbers of both SILs when they call so I can't ignore.

Of course, they say "Hi, my name is x I'm calling" and I go "Click." . I did have to tell one of them off after 20 calls but usually they get the picture after two or three calls.

 

[LadyZolt]

OK, here's what I do if it's a real person (if it's a computer, I just hang up). I listen to whatever they're saying and when they ask me about whatever it is, I tell them I don't believe in it and/or we don't have one. The person who tried to sell me satellite TV -- I don't believe in satellites. I think they're made up and signals cannot possibly travel without a wire or cable. The cell phone company, same thing. The technology is beyond me, so I can't purchase that. The guy who called to see if I wanted new windows -- well, in my house we don't believe in windows. We only have walls. The guy who wanted to sell me siding? Nope, we live in a cave hundreds of feet below ground.

I have fun doing this. It gets me off their calling list. I'm sure that the sales people must enjoy it more than those who just hang up on them, too. Give it a try and get inventive if you want. I've also been known to tell people, "No, we can't do that. Our cat is a libertarian." Clearly, no one can really argue with an answer like that.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[C.Ann]

I will "attempt" to be polite the first time - but if the same place calls again, all bets are off..

 

[clh2]

I absolutely LOVE,LOVE, LOVE caller ID.

I rarely answer a phone if there is no info. Oddly enough...95% of the time, they don't leave a message, so we assume that they are the telemarketers. If it was important, they would leave a message...

 

[Silent1CB]

OK, here's what I do if it's a real person (if it's a computer, I just hang up). I listen to whatever they're saying and when they ask me about whatever it is, I tell them I don't believe in it and/or we don't have one. The person who tried to sell me satellite TV -- I don't believe in satellites. I think they're made up and signals cannot possibly travel without a wire or cable. The cell phone company, same thing. The technology is beyond me, so I can't purchase that. The guy who called to see if I wanted new windows -- well, in my house we don't believe in windows. We only have walls. The guy who wanted to sell me siding? Nope, we live in a cave hundreds of feet below ground.

I have fun doing this. It gets me off their calling list. I'm sure that the sales people must enjoy it more than those who just hang up on them, too. Give it a try and get inventive if you want. I've also been known to tell people, "No, we can't do that. Our cat is a libertarian." Clearly, no one can really argue with an answer like that.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[Free4Life11]

They probably look for numbers of DIS members. God knows how people on these boards love to give their opinions!

 

[Silent1CB]

They probably look for numbers of DIS members. God knows how people on these boards love to give their opinions!

Are you saying the DIS sells their member list? I'm new here. Is that why the sudden increase in calls?

I sure hope not. I wasn't aware.

 

[Free4Life11]

NO lol just trying to make a joke.

I do have to say, it annoys me that the survey calls never seem to offer you anything to participate. I don't understand that...

 

[Silent1CB]

NO lol just trying to make a joke.

I do have to say, it annoys me that the survey calls never seem to offer you anything to participate. I don't understand that...

oh, phew. lol

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

when we got some new pones for the house, we noticed that they can be programmed to automatically reject call that you can transfer from the caller id number!

hehehehehehhe

Oooppsssss, my phone rejected your call?

hehehehehehe

 

[Mysteria]

Everyone that calls me has their own ringer. If the ringer isn't distinct it goes to vmail.

 

[darlak]

I've had an increase lately too. I usually just hang up on them, but I always feel sort of bad after I do that. It doesn't stop me from hanging up on them, but it makes me angry that I feel badly about it!

A friend told me that once when a caller asked her how she was, she just started talking and wouldn't stop. She told them every tiny detail of every real or imagined ailment she could think of. When they tried to interrupt her to start their spiel, she would say, "but I wasn't finished yet, don't you want to know how I am?" After about 20 minutes, they hung up on her.

 

[Piglet4Ever]

Another lover of caller id. If DH and I don't know the number we don't answer period.

 

[disneycruising]

I HATE telemarketers! I use to very politely say No. But, it seems they have gotten pusher over the last 5 years.

I also, let the person say there first little bit and when they pause... I tell them to remove me from their list. If it is a money raising thing: I tell them, " I have already donated to my favorite charity...Food Allergy & Anaphylaxia Network" & then I hang up.

 

[mlynn]

I'm getting calls from Sun Surveys. Last night they called at 8:35. I answered and I got a rude women. Saying "IS this ____________" I said whos calling and she said it again the same way.First off she wasn't saying my name right and she was rude.So I said nicely I'm putting my kids to bed please take my # off your list. Well then I got 5 more phone calls from the same # I didn't answer all of them But I did answer the last one. The guy said nobody called from here this is the 1st # on your call sheet. So I started saying B*** Sh**. Told him if I got one more phone call I was contacting the police. Then I googled them and got a working number and called and told them the same thing.The calls stopped lst night but we shall see if they start again tonight.

 

[bicker]

We also use Caller ID: If we don't recognize the name of the caller, we don't answer.

 

[metime]

I didn't read all the way through and I don't know if it has been said but they recently put a ban on those computer calls. The ones where the computer calls and when you answer they send you to a live person. I know I have received tons of calls from a company who kindly want to lower my interest rates. They call 3-4 times a week and I keep pressing no so I pressed yes once and then a guy picked up and I asked if I could be removed and he hung up.

Then they called and I pressed 1 for yes again and he said "are you interested in lowering you cc rates?" I said, "I am not sure?" and he hung up. I think it is one of those things where they want to record you saying "yes".

They are wasting their own time because I have no credit card debt or any debt for that matter. They just want to continue calling so I think I may string them along next time and ask about the rates and see if I can waste their time the way they waste mine. I don't mind the call if they respect that I asked them to stop, but they are actually rude. They won't give me the option to get off the list.

I think with the computer ban they won't be as eager to pay someone to call each person and wait for an answer if they know the person is not interested. I don't fault some one who has the job but if they set up a computer to call and ignore and annoy people then I will waste their time

 

[blissventure]

If you really want the calls to stop, quit answering. Caller ID can save you time and aggravation. Answering and telling them to "take you off the list" sounds like a great idea, but more likely you just showed them your phone number is good, and now they also know you're happy to jump up and talk to them.

You can always google who called us, and then enter the #. 99% of the time I can get an answer of who called, and the vast majority of the time it's telemarking/survey/nothing remotely important or relevant.

And of course, being on the do not call list helps, too. Many of these callers, though, aren't exactly rule followers.