Telemarketers~ Please be honest when you call!

[daughtersrus]

I'm really getting sick of calls coming from ACT/SAT prep companies. They all start out their speech with "may I speak to the mom of E____". I answer, "This is". They then go on to say "E_____ has shown an interest in attending college in the future..." They then go on to try and talk to me about the prep program that they offer. I tried to be nice in the past and just say that we're not interested and to please take us off the list. I'm sure that the calls are coming from many different companies but I've had it.

I now ask them how did E____ indicate that she wanted to attend college? They all go on about how she filled out a survey when taking a test at school and that she talked to a counselor about it. I then tell them that is impossible since E_____ has a very rare genetic disease and has never been able to talk, hold a pencil and is cognitively functioning at the level of a 2-3yo level. Most are embarrassed and apologize but I've had a few that something along the lines of I don't have to make things up if I want to be taken off their list. The sad thing is that I'm not making it up.

I'm sure that they received our name and phone# from the school as a batch so I'm also mad at the district for not pulling out the names of students like my DD.

As a parent of a special needs child, it's just another reminder of the things that my child will never be able to do.

 

[DizBelle]

Yep - I'd be mad too.

 

[usnuzuloose]

When telemarketers would call I would always ask them did I call you? they are stunned and say no. Then my next reply well when I need you I will call you goodbye. I was polite about it but enough for them to know do not call me. Most of the time I never heard from that peticular co again. But I do not do that any more I dont have a land line. Jo

 

[ZuZugal]

I'm really getting sick of calls coming from ACT/SAT prep companies. They all start out their speech with "may I speak to the mom of E____". I answer, "This is". They then go on to say "E_____ has shown an interest in attending college in the future..." They then go on to try and talk to me about the prep program that they offer. I tried to be nice in the past and just say that we're not interested and to please take us off the list. I'm sure that the calls are coming from many different companies but I've had it.

I now ask them how did E____ indicate that she wanted to attend college? They all go on about how she filled out a survey when taking a test at school and that she talked to a counselor about it. I then tell them that is impossible since E_____ has a very rare genetic disease and has never been able to talk, hold a pencil and is cognitively functioning at the level of a 2-3yo level. Most are embarrassed and apologize but I've had a few that something along the lines of I don't have to make things up if I want to be taken off their list. The sad thing is that I'm not making it up.

I'm sure that they received our name and phone# from the school as a batch so I'm also mad at the district for not pulling out the names of students like my DD.

As a parent of a special needs child, it's just another reminder of the things that my child will never be able to do.

I am so sorry. That sounds very frustrating. You are right about the school. I would see if you can contact someone or the calls will continue. Maybe you can have her name removed? Not sure what the answer is, but here is a

 

[LivingtheWDWdream]

You could put your number on the Do not call registry. Once on there if a company continues to call you only reply "I'm on the Do not call registry, i have marked the day, time and your name i'll report you if you call again" That is what we have done, once we mention the Do not Call list and reporting them (its a fine if they do call you) they remove us from the list.

https://www.donotcall.gov/ is the website to register your phone number.

 

[cheermom1]

When telemarketers would call I would always ask them did I call you? they are stunned and say no. Then my next reply well when I need you I will call you goodbye. I was polite about it but enough for them to know do not call me. Most of the time I never heard from that peticular co again. But I do not do that any more I dont have a land line. Jo

I do know for a fact that you have to say "put me on your do not call list" before they will stop calling as I am a telemarketer and we HAVE to hear you say that before we are allowed to put you on that list. I have been a telemarketer for 15 years now.

OP I'm sorry that happens to you but please do know that the people that call you really are told that the kids fills out the survey.

Hugs to you so sorry that you are going through that. But when that happens just tell them "put me on your DNC list" it should stop soon and some places they have a little saying they have to say about the DNC so listen and write down the date you say it to them and for long they say it will take to get you off the list. some places it is about 30 days, at the point you can do something about it. good luck.

 

[daughtersrus]

You could put your number on the Do not call registry. Once on there if a company continues to call you only reply "I'm on the Do not call registry, i have marked the day, time and your name i'll report you if you call again" That is what we have done, once we mention the Do not Call list and reporting them (its a fine if they do call you) they remove us from the list.

https://www.donotcall.gov/ is the website to register your phone number.

We are on the Do Not Call list. I've tried reporting them but most of the #'s don't come up on our caller ID to report. I know that I really shouldn't answer if I don't recognize the # but we've got health providers that call and block their numbers so that patients don't have their private phone numbers.

It's just a frustration of mine when people lie. Call me and tell me that you're selling a product that might benefit me or my family but don't make up lies that someone in my family expressed an interest when clearly they did not.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I think you are legally allowed to ask for their main number and company name when they call and mention you are on the national do not call list.

 

[dawson5]

I was getting these phone calls for about six months. It's disturbing that they ask for the parent of M____. I did call the school and ask how they received our phone number, they said they didn't release the info and don't know how our son's information was obtained. I did ask to be put on the DNC list, still received calls. Finally got sick of it after being called twice in one day and then the next. I decided I would let the kids answer and mess with them. If you do a reverse phone number look up, ours came up as the SAT prep. Lots of complaints about that company.

 

[safetymom]

I got a call several weeks after my husband died. They mentioned they had talked to my husband several days earlier. I said that was impossible. When asked why I said he had died. At least the guy sounded sorry after that.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I got a call several weeks after my husband died. They mentioned they had talked to my husband several days earlier. I said that was impossible. When asked why I said he had died. At least the guy sounded sorry after that.

That is awful.

 

[daughtersrus]

I got a call several weeks after my husband died. They mentioned they had talked to my husband several days earlier. I said that was impossible. When asked why I said he had died. At least the guy sounded sorry after that.

 

[Maryr1]

I hate these type of phone calls. I have a developmentally delayed daughter so I know where you are coming from......I am on the no call list as well as having an unlisted #. I always try to be polite but it is hard after the third or fourth call for the same stuff-and the guilt they lay on is just awful. Beleive me I would LOVE to spend my $ on SAT prep instead of extra speech/PT/OT KWIM?????? As soon as I ask for the # for the main office or for a supervisor, they all hang up. I am ALREADY on the no call list, what more am I supposed to do? When did it become MY responsibility to take this a step further? I already pay school tax, and now to raise more money the school district is selling my name and phone #????? I am so sorry that you have to put up with this too.

 

[Ceila]

Maryr1, while it may seem that these companies are getting your number directly from the school, I highly doubt that is the case. There are many types of privacy issues that prevent schools from releasing this kind of information. For heaven's sake, our school won't even give students' contact info out to other students without a release form signed and dated by parents! Where they are getting the info, I don't know. But to accuse districts of selling their students' information to raise money is just absurd, IMO.

 

[ksjayhawks]

They probably get the info from the psat and act pretests that the kids take at school. The info wouldn't come from the school, but from the companies that administer the tests. I am sure there is a box that they mark if they want more info and most kids will mark it.

 

[Disneyland1084]

As a parent of a special needs child, it's just another reminder of the things that my child will never be able to do.

 

[Maryr1]

I have NO idea where they get the lists but my daughter doesn't take the PSAT or any other tests like that- It seems odd to me that the only true common factor to these phone calls are our childrens grade and district.......not even age as my daughter is 2 years older than most of her classmates and actually attends a school in another city. Go figure.

 

[daughtersrus]

They probably get the info from the psat and act pretests that the kids take at school. The info wouldn't come from the school, but from the companies that administer the tests. I am sure there is a box that they mark if they want more info and most kids will mark it.

That's not what happened in our case. My DD can't even hold a pencil let alone take a test and fill in the boxes. Also, she goes to a school out of our district for severely disabled students that is run by United Cerebral Palsy but the social worker at our local high school is her case manager.