Increase in survey phone calls & very pushy

[MIGrandma]

We are on the "do not call" list, and I have caller I.D. and I still hate the telemarketing calls. I just hate the ringing of the phone, it's such an intrusion, especially if it interrupts an afternoon nap.

And just not answering doesn't really help, some of them keep calling for days and days.

I do hate the ones that I answer and tell them not to call again, and they still call. If they call a second time I tell them they were asked not to call, and if they call a third time they will be reported. That usually stops them.

It upsets me that you can sign up on the national "do not call" list but so many telemarketers can get around that and still call. I think if a number is on the list, that means do not call!!!

 

[bicker]

Actually, that's perhaps a common misunderstanding about the various Do Not Call lists: Being registered means (basically) that you won't get unsolicited calls, from commercial entities, with which you have not had a commercial relationship with for a period of time. Those three underlined qualfiers are generally integral aspects of the Do Not Call lists. The qualifications mean (in turn):

• You can get telemarketing calls if you give permission for such calls. That could happen as a condition of getting some other benefit. For example, an online service could have, as part of the terms and condtitions, a provision that allows them to sell your contact information, complete with implicit permission to telemarket to you. (That is not the policy of the DIS!)
• Charitable organizations, political organizations, and all other not-for-profits can telemarket to you, even though you're on the Do Not Call lists.
• Any company you have done business with over a period of time can contact you, even just to try to sell you more.

 

[MineMail]

Bicker's right: if you sign up for one thing, they can use your number for other business. Bank of America is awful - we received so many phone calls after opening an account with them. Those register-tape surveys for stores and restaurants are Pandora's Box.

I answer my phone - just letting it go to voice mail doesn't help. I tell the telemarketer or surveyist that I am on the "Do Not Call" registry and that I want them to put my number on their internal "Do Not Call" list. It's a short script I recite to them.

I have a form letter that I send to businesses that says I only want to receive communications about renewing my subscription/membership/etc. I do not wish to receive marketing calls or mail. Similar letter goes to Charities that I support, although some I just donate to anonymously. I get a receipt for my taxes and for the charity, which I mail to them at the end of the year.

 

[blissventure]

Bicker's right: if you sign up for one thing, they can use your number for other business. Bank of America is awful - we received so many phone calls after opening an account with them. Those register-tape surveys for stores and restaurants are Pandora's Box.

I answer my phone - just letting it go to voice mail doesn't help. I tell the telemarketer or surveyist that I am on the "Do Not Call" registry and that I want them to put my number on their internal "Do Not Call" list. It's a short script I recite to them.

I have a form letter that I send to businesses that says I only want to receive communications about renewing my subscription/membership/etc. I do not wish to receive marketing calls or mail. Similar letter goes to Charities that I support, although some I just donate to anonymously. I get a receipt for my taxes and for the charity, which I mail to them at the end of the year.

Experiences with annoying phone calls are individual. I have to say, though, for us, once we went with the no answer policy, it's really helped. They do quit trying to call, and go on to another person. Once you answer (confirmed this is a good number for, say Mrs. Y), I think it affects the phone frequency. These folks sell lists, and good numbers that are answered are gold to them.
An earlier poster mentioned naps--if we want peace and quiet, we unplug the landline. One second, problem solved. We have cells we keep nearby on mute...it's too bad we have to be proactive, but it certainly is worth it to have some peace and quiet.
Telemarketers aren't nearly as annoying to me as they used to be...because I've taken charge.

 

[Plumeria]

If you really want the calls to stop, quit answering. Caller ID can save you time and aggravation.

That's not really true. We used to have a landline and MCI would call us every single day. Sometimes several times a day. We never answered. And they continued to call. I feel it's the opposite. They will continue to try and try until they get someone to answer the phone.

 

[2girlsmom]

I generally don't answer anyone I don't recognize the number either, but there have been a few who did seem to take going to voice mail as an invitation to continue calling. One was MRC (market research center) who over a 2 day period called my house 37 times. On the 37th call I answered, and they said about doing a survey. I told them to take me off their list, we are not interested, and that seems to have done the trick (it has been about 3 weeks since they called now).

 

[metime]

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.

I have tried but they just call 3 times a day becuase the computer calls over and over when you do not answer.

Plus a lot of times I get calls from Doctors who don't have their number listed or go through a call routing service and the caller ID says the state and number which means it could be the Doctor calling through the call service they use. Our house has a lot of medical issues and it would be one thing if it was the same number or even said the name of the company but it doesn't. I have no way of knowing who is calling.

I don't answer if I don't know the number and am not expecting an important call. It doesn't make it stop.

 

[manning]

The guy who wanted to sell me siding? Nope,

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

I had one of those compainies who wanted to sell me siding and wouldn't give up. I said sure come on out and give me an estimate.

He comes out and takes one look at my house and says "you've got a brick house"

I said "son of a gun you noticed." Never heard from them again.

 

[brerrabbit]

They don't bother me at all. I learned how to say no a long time ago. As far as caller ID goes, I got rid of that a long time ago. I realized one day that my home phone bill was close to $60 a month with no long distance calls. I said that is ridiculous so I called AT&T and said cancel everything except the basic service. I pay $19 a month now. I save over $480 a year by just saying no when I get annoying calls. Now I am seriously considering getting rid of the home phone all together and just going with the cell phone. As soon as I can get one of the sets that you can drop your cell phone when you get home that will charge the phone and link to wireless handsets around the house for a reasonable cost I'm going to dump the home phone all together.

 

[manning]

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.

I don't have the number handy, but you may be able to get it from the no call list web site.

If they persist there ar heavy fines involved. Report them to the proper authorities.

 

[Carriemel]

I had one telemarketer call once ... VERY demanding...and kept telling me that if I did x, then they'd give me a FREE gift card for Walmart. Well, after the third or fourth refusal on my part, I finally blurted out "I can't take a WalMart gift card since they won't let me in after I was busted shoplifting". The telemarketer hung up soooo fast. And just for the record, I've NEVER shoplifted anything.

 

[Missy1961]

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.

I would let those SILs know that I am screening my calls because of telemarketers. If they really want to talk to you, they'll leave a message.

 

[bicker]

One thing I find useful, if I don't feel comfortable just hanging up on someone who won't take a polite "no thanks" is to say, "I don't trust you." That really rocks many people, shuts them up, and gives you a chance to say, "and so I won't do any business with you. Good bye."