tony_2003

For anyone who has not heard about this (I only found out yesterday) on October 1st this law went into effect.
You can register your telephone number online to stop telemarketers calling you. It is run by the FTC and telemarketers are fined thousands if they ignore the list. Anyway I just added mine and it took seconds.

http://www.ftc.gov/donotcall/

Patrick

They have been running adverts about it for six months, its been all the way up to the Supreme Courts because telemarketers have tried to stop it going into effect. Congress had to rush through legislation to get it go ahead last month, it was in the newspaper and on the news most of last month - how could you possibly not hear about it?

There are, as yet, undiscovered tribes in the Amazon that know about the National Do Not Call Register, yet you didn't know!

Patrick

Ray

Well!! he is in Oregon.....I put our number down on the first day 3 months ago .... We usually get 6 or 7 a day..since the Ist of Oct ...not one telemarketing call.. Now I am getting lonely, nobody to be abusive to...

Patrick

It is great I must admit, a whole week without those stupid recorded messages that you think are real for a second and even try to reply to until you realise!

"Hi there, I have been trying to get hold of you about a free Lexus, I am surprised you haven't returned any of my calls ......."

The last week in September was a bit of a nightmare though as we had about 10 calls, they where trying to get them in before the deadline

Patrick

tony_2003

Easy, it's called University. I have had very little time in the past month to watch or read the news (other than the BBC) due to being swamped with schoolwork. I don't have time to piss around watching telly like a lift 'Engineer' you know

BrigieDarling

I have Privacy Mangager and haven't had a single call in about a single telemarketer in over a year... It's about $3 a month, but worth it IMHO!

Yorkieabroad

I'm just waiting for the first one to be daft enough to break the rules and call us......

I'm normally polite to start with, but after the've ignored the 2nd "No thanks" they get what they deserve. My wife gets upset if I'm abrupt with them though...."they're only doing their jobs" and all that. Yeah, well I used to run oil tankers, but they'd probably get upset if I ran one through their dining room in the middle of the evening meal...!

Webbie

When we first arrived here (before we had an answering machine) I used to answer the phone every time with: "British Embassy..."
Worked every time.
Now we have an answering machine and unfortunately have to leave it on all the time and screen our calls.

I made the mistake of answering the phone straight away once and cut off the telemarketer in mid-flow to tell her in no uncertain terms that I was not interested and will never be interested.
The telemarketer actually got a bit snotty and said "you can't talk to me like that !"
Well you shouldn't have taken the job if you don't want people to talk to you like that luv.

Our number is on the DNC list now.

Jon1905

"Hi sir,

I'd like to talk to you about our new special credit card offer..."

.... "You seriously expect me to take financial advice from someone working in a call center?.." <click>

"Good evening Sir,
We are offering a special trial in your area.."

.... "Is this really what you wanted to do when you grew up?" <click>

"Hi Mr <Misspronouncedsurname>, I'd like to tell you about our new vaccum cleaner.."

... "Sure, stop by on the fourth Tuesday of next week, and give me a demonstration"..

"Hi , I'm selling the new X-Box 2003, Its.... <long rant> "..

.... "That sounds great, but ever since the last unfortunate incident with a telemarketer, I've got to check in with my parole officer before I can agree. Can you leave your number?"

"Hi sir, How are you today?"

.... Well Things went real badly at work today. I got a pink slip and I will soon be unemployed. What's worse, on the way home I got a speeding ticket and I'm going to be in court. And when I got home I found a "Dear John" letter from my wife and she's left me. To cap it off my welfare check did not arrive and my ice box is empty and I don't know what I'll eat tonight. I spent my last dollar on the lottery and if I don't win I'm dead. Other than those troubles, everything is OK. How are things with you?

"Hi can I speak to Mr X?

.. Certainly, my Hourly rate is $75, please furnish me with your name and company address so I may sendthe invoice.. Your time starts now.

crazydaisy

The worst ones are those that insist on calling at ridiculous hours in the morning - the last one was about 7.30 on a Sunday morning. I guess they feel most Americans will be up and about and full of the joys of life getting ready for their early Mass - not us bleedin' Brits. Got to sleep off the hangover first! We have one of those privacy director things where you're supposed to leave your name - it's funny how loads of telemarketers hurridly speak down the phone to get their message in the space just long enough for a name and then pleasantly it cuts them off and I get to press button 2 to say reject sales call - so satisfying

ladyofthelake

My husband is working in a office of 3 people, before they got a receptionist it was obviously 2 (I can do math)
Anyway, they had an answering machine set up to take calls when they were unavailable. One telemarketer left a very nice message for them once, it went like this......

"What the ****? You ******* cheap morons! Get yourself a cripple to answer the phones you ******* jackases. Do something than ******* waste my time with a ******* machine you ******* morons."