Telezapper?

[GEM]

Does this thing work? I'm seriously at the end of my rope with calls from telemarketers. I just got my sixth one tonight! I really hate it that they call in the evenings (right in the middle of dinner) or sometimes as late as 9p.m. or really early on a weekend morning. I just plain hate them. I was really, really nasty with the one I just hung up with, even though I know it really wasn't that poor girl's fault. Please, someone, tell me how I can end this hell!

 

[nativetxn]

Telezappers work well but only with computer generated calls. If your telemarketer doesn't use the computer to dial your number you will still receive the call.

I must admit that I love it when I answer the phone and the telezapper terminates the call

 

[KimR]

I hear you, Gem! I despise telemarketers! A few months ago I signed up for the Georgia no-call list and now I very rarely get any telemarketing calls. It was only $5 and was well worth it. Here's the website for Arkansas:

http://www.donotcall.org/

Kim

 

[janette]

Sign up for your state list About Do Not Call in Arkansas

The telezapper is based on the tones given by the computers used by most telemarketers. It might work for some calls but if the tones change it would stop.

Getting on your state list is the best way to not get calls. Telemarketers are required to use them except for some the exemptions set by your state. Some companies use them even if they are exempt. I'm on the Texas list and it has a big list of exemptions but it's helped reduce calls drastically

 

[GEM]

Thank you so much! I will definately check out the Do Not Call list! The one I hate most right now is a company that keeps leaving messages on my answering machine while I am out. I don't even know what they are selling, but the message always starts out like this, "Hi, this is whoever from so-and-so. We've already left you several messages. I'm really surprised you haven't called us back to take advantage of this great offer!" I don't ever hear the rest of it because I have hit delete by that time.

 

[GEM]

Well, I signed up on the Arkanas "Do Not Call" list, but I don't know how much good it will do. Here is the list of people who will still be able to legally call me -

-Businesses with whom you have had a relationship
with in the past 36 months.
-Motor vehicle dealers, insurance agents, real estate
agents, funeral establishments or from licensed
investment brokers regarding the sale of their products
and services.
-Volunteers calling on behalf of a charitable organization.
-Newspapers regarding advertising or sales.
-Banks relating to banking services other than credit
card offers.

Geez. 75% of the calls I get are probably from people listed above!

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I feel your pain....I have a telezapper and it works as Kath says....I think it was worth the money...good luck..

 

[GEM]

Maybe between getting on the "Do Not Call" list and buying a Telezapper, I will be able to knock the number of annoying phone calls per day down to a single digit number. It really makes me angry. I don't think any of these people should have the right to harass me in my own home.

 

[janette]

Gem the list of Texas exceptions is worse than Arkansas and I've gotten very few calls after being on the list.

Most companies as a general rule use the lists for all calling. I think that may change as the number of people on a state lists is increasing rapidly and the telemarketing industry has felt some pain from it. The work it takes to decide who can be called in each individual state is time & resource intensive and will cost more to accomplish. Right now most take the easy way and drop all people on the state listings.

 

[Dan Murphy]

We have used an optional service from our telephone company, Ameritech, for quite a number of years, Privacy Manager. It works VERY well.

 

[Lynn CC]

I got caller ID about 6 months ago. When a telemarketer calls the display says "UNKNOWN CALLER" and we just don't answer. They hang up...usually don't leave a message.

I haven't talked to a telemarketer since I got it, it has been so nice. I got so many calls everyday. I notice that they are only calling about 10X a day now, compared to when I was answering the phone.
Caller ID is $6.50 a month.

 

[DVC-Don]

We are on the New York State "Do Not Call" list. You can sign up at the NYS Consumer Protection Web Site . We also have Caller ID so those that do get through do not get answered. Some times we do not get any telemarketer calls for weeks.

 

[GEM]

We have caller ID too, and almost all the telemarketers register as "Unknown Caller" on the box. The problem is that most of my long-distance friends and relatives do too. We get lots of calls from my mom and my sister and my DH's mom and dad and they all show up as "Unknown Caller". And none of them will talk to a machine, so I can't screen the calls to find out who it is.

 

[Rajah]

Okay Janette, what's the addy for the TX list? We're getting this problem, too, and I'm sick of being woken up at 8:30 on a Saturday just to ignore the phone because it's a telemarketer.

I've got the same problem as Gem -- several times, my friends and family have come up as unknown, even the local ones for some reason. So I don't think I want to completely zap all unknown callers.

 

[janette]

http://www.texasnocall.com/

Trust Texas to do it a bit strange but you can sign up for 2 lists, if you select to be on both its about $5 for 5years.

Here's a link to some additional information on other states but I know that there are some states with pending lists.

DMA State Listing

If I need to find information on a state list I do a web search for "Texas do not call" or any other state. That will usually get me to the the signup information. There will probably be a national list within a year.