How can I get this to stop?

[Jean in Newcastle]

The robot knows whether it played its message at a human or a machine?

 

Does the robot swear at you if you swear at it?

 

This thread is fascinating.

 

The robot does not swear at you. Real live people swear at you if you press 8 or whatever number (0?) in order to be put on their 'do not call' list. I was shocked when it happened and hung up. And then the person called me back and started in swearing at me even worse than at first. I thought about trying to call back to talk to a supervisor but thought better of it. Plus I had already wasted 10 min. of my life that I couldn't get back.

[Denisemomof4]

I never answer our landline anymore unless I know who it is. And I don't have an answering machine, either. Anyone I want to talk to knows my cell number.

 

I can't believe how rude these people are. I am thankful to evaded their calls so far.

 

I never do, either, unless it is someone I know. I am really starting to hate talking on the phone, and I used to be a HUGE phone talker. I don't know why, but it simply DRAINS me now.

 

Do Not Call lists are a TOTAL JOKE.

[Nestof3]

These phone calls are illegal -- they are computer-generated. They are not representing a company at all. They exist to sell your number. They refuse to take you off the list. They hang up on you. Any decent person woułd not be working for such a company. They know they are scamming.

 

As a college student working as a temp, I did telemarketing for exactly one day. It is a horrible job. The callers are caught in the middle. It is not the caller's fault that your number was on their list. They didn't write the annoying script. They know little or nothing about the company they are working for, or the product they are trying to sell. They are just trying to make an honest living. (The company they are working for may or may not be honest, but the workers are just serfs, in some cases sent by temp agencies, and as far as you know are decent people in a horrible job.)

 

The kindest thing you can do if you are not interested is to say "please put me on your do not call list" and hang up. Do not waste their time (even though their company has wasted yours). They get paid in part by how many sales they make - time spent talking to you if you are not interested hurts them, not so much the company.

 

Again, these folks are working hard to earn an honest living. It ain't easy out there nowadays. Show some grace; don't make it harder for them.

[Sharpie]

I've started getting these calls on my cell phone. UGH! I don't answer but I had really hoped they would not find my cell phone number.

[Nestof3]

Rachel and her buddies have already called here twice today. So much for the Do Not Call list, we get a boatload from all sources. I never answer them. My DH will occasionally, to say to take us off the list, but it doesn't seem to help.

 

Between that and the swing-state political calls for the last few months, I never answer the phone unless I recognize the number anymore. My favorite new trick is people calling from a local cell phone, so you think it may be someone you know, but it's a telemarketer or political survey. Blah.

 

This company in particular is on the FCC list for breaking the law. The FCC has already fined 90 million or something to telemarketers for breaking laws.

 

Robo calls don't follow do not call laws; in fact, many companies don't.

[Nestof3]

I am so sick of these calls that I may get rid of our landline.

 

I have decided to turn our ringer off. I will check voicemails.

 

I am courteous to actual telemarketer people, but half of them hang up on me. I will never buy anything over the phone.

[stripe]

The robot does not swear at you. Real live people swear at you if you press 8 or whatever number (0?) in order to be put on their 'do not call' list. I was shocked when it happened and hung up. And then the person called me back and started in swearing at me even worse than at first. I thought about trying to call back to talk to a supervisor but thought better of it. Plus I had already wasted 10 min. of my life that I couldn't get back.

 

I know. My husband was told to "f-- off." (I mentioned this earlier in the thread.) I was kidding about a robot swearing.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I know. My husband was told to "f-- off." (I mentioned this earlier in the thread.) I was kidding about a robot swearing.

 

I saw that post. I just didn't remember that you made it!

[Nestof3]

The robot knows whether it played its message at a human or a machine?

 

Does the robot swear at you if you swear at it?

 

This thread is fascinating.

 

As long as the phone number is valid (proven by either a person or machine picking up), they are happy. So, you've never had a call like this?

[stripe]

As long as the phone number is valid (proven by either a person or machine picking up), they are happy. So, you've never had a call like this?

 

Noooo, I get them all the time. Rachel leaves me messages, and her angry brother swears at my husband. When I asked to be taken off the list, I was told I had to have pressed something (1?) to get off the list. Apparently time travel is required, to go back in time to the beginning of the call. The next time they called, I noticed there WAS no "get off the list" option.

[TranquilMind]

Every day I get a call from "Rachel at card services" trying to lower my interest rate. They refuse to take me off the list. They hang up on me when I ask.

 

Why is this invasion of my privacy legal?

 

How can I get these daily calls to stop?

 

Oh, I'm right there with you. It's become SO bad that I hooked up my fax to my phone to try to get them to stop. They don't stop. I'm going to just unplug my phone, I guess. But then, someone MIGHT call me there, so I don't really want to be forced to do this.

 

Yesterday, I finally decided to take one of the 50+ calls I have received in the last month, with amusing results. I posted about it here about the obnoxious woman who attempted to get me to agree to refinance right on the phone without giving me the facts and figures necessary.

[TranquilMind]

As I understand it, you can't just say "please don't call me", or "don't call me again" or whatever.

 

You have to say the very specific magic words "PLEASE PUT ME ON YOUR 'DO NOT CALL' LIST". Do not say *anything else*. Just that. Do not respond to what they've said. (Do not say "I'm not interested but...", or "I am happy with my current x...") Just "Please put me on your 'do not call' list". It usually does the trick.

 

Also, put all of your phone numbers in the national do not call registry - click here.

 

The list expires now and again, so you have to re-do it every so often.

 

This list is inapplicable if you have or have ever had the slightest, most tenuous relationship with the company. That is an exclusion. So if you once had a loan or a credit card that ever passed through this company, even briefly, it claims a "business relationship" with you and is exempt. And, of course, scammers, like the fake Microsoft scammers that have called me repeatedly from overseas attempting to tell me that something is wrong with my computer, do not abide by the rules anyway.

[TranquilMind]

Don't answer the phone. They'll quit calling.

 

See if you can find out to whom the number actually belongs; if it's a legitimate company, and it's a member of the Better Business Bureau, file a complaint with the BBB.

 

This has not worked for me. I haven't answered my phone in months, until yesterday.

[TranquilMind]

If they won't listen to you when you talk, then what on earth is their purpose for calling?! How bizarre!

 

My number is unlisted. I do not get sales or political calls ever. I occasionally get calls from a couple of the companies I currently do business with, and occasionally about local sheriff fundraiser things. I highly recommend having your number unlisted if you do not need to have it available.

 

Another tip that is FREE. Have your phone number listed under a generic name (not your name). I used probably the most common last name in America.

 

So whenever someone calls asking for John Jones (not name I chose), then I immediately know it is a scam cold call.

[kiana]

Another tip that is FREE. Have your phone number listed under a generic name (not your name). I used probably the most common last name in America.

 

So whenever someone calls asking for John Jones (not name I chose), then I immediately know it is a scam cold call.

 

Oh yeah! One of my friends lists his as King Kong.

[TranquilMind]

I never do, either, unless it is someone I know. I am really starting to hate talking on the phone, and I used to be a HUGE phone talker. I don't know why, but it simply DRAINS me now.

 

Do Not Call lists are a TOTAL JOKE.

 

I believe the "Do Not Call" lists are merely used for further data mining, probably sold and passed around like all the others.

[stripe]

So whenever someone calls asking for John Jones (not name I chose), then I immediately know it is a scam cold call.

 

I considered doing this the last time I moved.

 

Luckily, no one seems to be capable of pronouncing my very easy to pronounce last name, so it's very easy to weed out solicitors from their nervous, strained mispronunciation.

[Nestof3]

I know. My husband was told to "f-- off." (I mentioned this earlier in the thread.) I was kidding about a robot swearing.

 

;) When I'm on my iphone, I read posts backward -- for some reason, it's easier. :lol:

[Lisbeth]

If all they do is hang up, consider yourself lucky. They called me a b*tch. :glare: There's nothing you can do except not answer your phone. I contacted multiple agencies. They shrugged and told me to file a report. Now if I don't recognize a phone number, I don't pick up the phone.

 

I don't answer if I don't know the number either. Anyone important will leave a message. I hate talking on the phone, though, so I was doing this anyway. I do the same thing with the door knockers I don't know. I don't care if they see me, either...if I don't know them, I don't answer. So far, this works for me.

[Pink Fairy]

It's a little extreme, but due to ever-increasing cable/phone/internet charges, we switched to OOMA (which I heard about on these very forums). So we got a new number, and have only given it out to friends, family, and doctors offices/etc. It's been a blessed relief, because even though I never, ever answered those telemarketer calls, they never, ever gave up.

 

I'd do it again in a heartbeat, because I wasn't as attached to my number as I was to my money (we are saving $80/month on Comcast) and peace and quiet. :lol:

[justasque]

No, the robot Rachel leaves a message.

A pollster called at 5:30 and asked for my husband by name. I told her he wasn't home. At 6:30 she called again. I informed her he still wasn't home and please stop calling. It was very obnoxious to call again so soon, I thought.

 

I avoid this by pre-screening dh's calls. I get into executive secretary mode.

 

Caller: "Is Mr. AskPauline home?"

AskPauline: "Who, may I ask, is calling?"

Caller: "<something revealing they are a sales caller, or dodges the question>"

AskPauline: "Please put us on your do not call list."

Caller: "Grumble. OK."

 

If they are legit, they will explain up-front who they are and why they're calling and you can go from there. If they're not, nip it in the bud.

[Wildcat]

I am fed up! I was reading about selective call rejection and anonymous call rejection that my phone company offers. It is only bundled with a plan that would cost $20 more a month.

 

I'm really ready to just ditch the landline phone all together.

 

I have to pay $20 a month to get people to stop bothering me?

 

Oh, and don't get me started on charities. I am ready to stop giving to them as well.

 

In one day, I had zero real phone calls from people who have a real reason to call me.

 

I had:

someone selling home improvements

5 bogus phone calls

one KLove Christian radio station

one World Vision phone call

2 political calls

 

I hate all the junk mail and phone calls I get from charities. Honestly, if I wanted to be giving more money to you, I would.

 

I'm with you on the charity thing! I actually did stop donating to charities other than a local animal rescue place because of the incessant calls and junk mail. Years ago, after the big tsunami, we donated to the Red Cross. It was a $25 check. Within weeks, we were getting calls AND mailers asking for more money. Oh h3ll no! It took YEARS to get off their list! If charities didn't pester me so, I would "spread the wealth", but because of their bothersome ways, the local rescue place gets a big check from us.

 

We are so sick of telemarketing calls! I have had my number on the DNC list since its inception, but it doesn't matter. :glare:

 

The new one for me in the last week is the robo call telling me I have won a trip to Walt Disney World. :001_huh: I don't know anything more than that, because that's when I hang up. I have received this call twice now... it has WDW's area code and the guy sounds a LOT like the guy who does the "please stand away from the doors" speech on the monorails!

 

I would LOVE to get rid of our landline, but our house alarm is tied to it, so we're stuck.

[mellifera33]

 

I would LOVE to get rid of our landline, but our house alarm is tied to it, so we're stuck.

 

Does your alarm company offer a cellular option? We found that we saved money by switching the alarm to cellular and dropping the landline.

[Wildcat]

Does your alarm company offer a cellular option? We found that we saved money by switching the alarm to cellular and dropping the landline.

 

Oohhh! How would I find this out? :bigear: Is the "alarm company" the company that monitors the alarm and calls us if it goes off?

 

I don't mean to sound dumb about this, but we're monitored from a different city and I mail the check there, but the check is made out to the company who installed it, who is local (and **hard** to get hold of!).

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm with you on the charity thing! I actually did stop donating to charities other than a local animal rescue place because of the incessant calls and junk mail.

 

I have supported and worked for a cancer charity for almost 20 years. They would contact me once a year, ask me to be donate my time and money for one week and that was it. I was happy to donate that week. Then two years ago the charity must have undergone a change in leadership or something because they are now bothering me incessantly. I finally blocked the entire charity from contacting me. Unfortunately this means that I am no longer giving them even one week. They've shot themselves in the foot. (Of course this is assuming that they've even noticed the loss of my one week donation of my time and money!)

[mellifera33]

Oohhh! How would I find this out? :bigear: Is the "alarm company" the company that monitors the alarm and calls us if it goes off?

 

I don't mean to sound dumb about this, but we're monitored from a different city and I mail the check there, but the check is made out to the company who installed it, who is local (and **hard** to get hold of!).

 

Hmm, I'm not sure. We use a large national company, so I just called their 800 number.

[Murphy101]

These phone calls are illegal -- they are computer-generated. They are not representing a company at all. They exist to sell your number. They refuse to take you off the list. They hang up on you. Any decent person woułd not be working for such a company. They know they are scamming.

 

Yes. No remorse at all from us for messing them and wasting their time. None. Legit businesses and people don't cuss at, harass, intimidate, or otherwise frustrate random people with the misfortune to dare to answer their own phone.

 

We ask once to not be called again bc we are on the DNC list.

 

After that, it's "open season for my little sporting event" as dh calls it. lol

[Nestof3]

Yes. No remorse at all from us for messing them and wasting their time. None. Legit businesses and people don't cuss at, harass, intimidate, or otherwise frustrate random people with the misfortune to dare to answer their own phone.

 

We ask once to not be called again bc we are on the DNC list.

 

After that, it's "open season for my little sporting event" as dh calls it. lol

 

:lol:

[stripe]

After that, it's "open season for my little sporting event" as dh calls it. lol

My husband does this too. I am busy in the background begging him to get off the phone. I think it must be Modern Man's substitute for hunting or something.

 

Although I was impressed that he got the scammer from Jamaica to confess.

 

Makes me long for the days when stupid kids would call to ask if your frig was running. At least the call was quick and they weren't selling anything.

 

I get a weekly phone call from AT&T asking if I will switch to U-Verse. At one point my DSL quit working. While the repairman was out fixing my phone line, he was calling periodically to check the line. Reason? Somehow they thought ai ordered U-Verse. Anyway, after a couple calls from him, the phone rang again, and the lady identified herself as being from AT&T, so my husband, who eas busy, handed the phone to me. I thought it was related to the repair. Nope, she wascalling to ask if I wanted u-verse. I tnk I may have screamed.

Edited October 7, 2012 by stripe

[Ellie]

I avoid this by pre-screening dh's calls. I get into executive secretary mode.

 

Caller: "Is Mr. AskPauline home?"

AskPauline: "Who, may I ask, is calling?"

Caller: "<something revealing they are a sales caller, or dodges the question>"

AskPauline: "Please put us on your do not call list."

Caller: "Grumble. OK."

 

If they are legit, they will explain up-front who they are and why they're calling and you can go from there. If they're not, nip it in the bud.

The way I handle it is this:

 

Caller [a voice/caller ID I don't recognize]: "May I speak to Mr. Ellie, please?"

Ellie [while looking at Mr. Ellie who is seated across the room]: "I'm sorry, he's not here; may I take a message?"

Caller: "Oh, no, I'll call back."

And usually they don't.

 

Alternatively:

 

Caller [a voice/caller ID I don't recognize]: "May I speak to Ellie please?"

Ellie: "I'm sorry, she's not here; may I take a message?"

Caller: "Oh, no, I'll call back."

 

:D

[justasque]

Alternatively:

 

Caller [a voice/caller ID I don't recognize]: "May I speak to Ellie please?"

Ellie: "I'm sorry, she's not here; may I take a message?"

Caller: "Oh, no, I'll call back."

 

:D

 

Ellie, I love the way I always either totally agree or totally disagree with you! This one's an agree.

 

My version (no caller ID here):

 

Caller [a voice I don't recognize]: "May I speak to AskPauline please?"

AskPauline: "Who may I ask is calling?"

 

Caller: "<something legit>"

AskPauline: "This is AskPauline. How are you doing? etc."

 

or

 

Caller: "<selling something>"

AskPauline: "Please put us on your do not call list."

[cindergretta]

We got a new phone number when we bought our house last spring. About 6 weeks later, we started getting phone calls from about 8am - 9pm every.single.day. I never answered. After about 2 months of this, I finally answered one. They asked for a Kathleen Porter. :confused: I said they had the wrong number and please not to call again. After that, I answered about one call a day for about a week. It was always someone different but asking for Kathleen Porter - replying to her online request for insurance, collecting a debt, suing her... :001_huh: I have NO idea what the deal is with this woman and why she is using our number, but wowzers! After my brief foray into answering the occasional call, I quit answering again. The calls have seriously declined over the last month or so.

 

Other than this rather bizarre situation, we rarely ever get any calls about anything. (Unlisted, unpublished) Oh! There was the call two weeks ago when our insurance company called me and it was an automated call that after ascertaining I was the appropriate person, put me ON HOLD for the next available operator, "Please hold the line. Your call will be answered in the order in which it was received. Thank you for your patience." I didn't call them!!!! Needless to say, I hung up. :lol:

[Sctigermom]

Bc of issues similar (I'm very lucky you see and am always winning things!) I don't answer my phone unless it's a # I know are my area code. We have recently moved and I am thinking of having my cell # changed and maybe I'll lose them for a while.

[Barb_]

I would LOVE to get rid of our landline, but our house alarm is tied to it, so we're stuck.

 

I keep our landline for the express purpose of containing annoying phone calls. If you give out your cell phone number to the wrong people just once the calls will start on your cell. I give out our landline # to our credit cards, mortgage, bank, insurances, etc. My cell is my personal number. I don't want to take business calls when I'm at the store or at the doctor's office, or driving. That way, if my # finds its way into the wrong hands because I've been forced to provide one to shop online or whatever, then the spam calls go to the land line instead of my personal line.

 

I set up my voicemail to automatically go to my email and then I turn the phone off. I never hear it ring. I give my cell to people I actually know, so I never worry that I'll miss a personal call. Then if someone calls who actually needs to tell me something I want to hear, I'll get it in my email. I actually don't have any idea how many annoying calls I get anymore.

[TranquilMind]

I avoid this by pre-screening dh's calls. I get into executive secretary mode.

 

Caller: "Is Mr. AskPauline home?"

AskPauline: "Who, may I ask, is calling?"

Caller: "<something revealing they are a sales caller, or dodges the question>"

AskPauline: "Please put us on your do not call list."

Caller: "Grumble. OK."

 

If they are legit, they will explain up-front who they are and why they're calling and you can go from there. If they're not, nip it in the bud.

 

I've done this consistently for 20 years. Sometimes they still won't stop calling, especially recently.

[TranquilMind]

I keep our landline for the express purpose of containing annoying phone calls. If you give out your cell phone number to the wrong people just once the calls will start on your cell. I give out our landline # to our credit cards, mortgage, bank, insurances, etc. My cell is my personal number. I don't want to take business calls when I'm at the store or at the doctor's office, or driving. That way, if my # finds its way into the wrong hands because I've been forced to provide one to shop online or whatever, then the spam calls go to the land line instead of my personal line.

 

I set up my voicemail to automatically go to my email and then I turn the phone off. I never hear it ring. I give my cell to people I actually know, so I never worry that I'll miss a personal call. Then if someone calls who actually needs to tell me something I want to hear, I'll get it in my email. I actually don't have any idea how many annoying calls I get anymore.

 

Cool. How do I make my voicemail on the landline answering machine go to my email?

[Barb_]

Cool. How do I make my voicemail on the landline answering machine go to my email?

 

Depends on your provider. Maybe they don't all have it. I use Vonage because they only charge $12 for 300 minutes and we only use it to screen our calls.

 

ETA: Comcast and Verizon apparently offer it, so I don't think it has to be VOIP

[TranquilMind]

Depends on your provider. Maybe they don't all have it. I use Vonage because they only charge $12 for 300 minutes and we only use it to screen our calls.

 

Oh. I have a regular landline serviced by AT and T from the old days.

[mamakim]

We ditched the landline recently, but had our home phone # transferred to my cell. I spent $6.99 IIRC to buy an app called "Call Blocker". Wow, best $ I've spent in a long time! Sooo many of these calls blocked. Purchasers of the app report telemarketers/scams/etc, then those numbers are blocked plus any you personally blacklist. "Rachel" still leaves messages, as do the carpet cleaning people, but the app blocks a boatload of other stuff.

[stripe]

The way I handle it is this:

 

Caller [a voice/caller ID I don't recognize]: "May I speak to Mr. Ellie, please?"

Ellie [while looking at Mr. Ellie who is seated across the room]: "I'm sorry, he's not here; may I take a message?"

Caller: "Oh, no, I'll call back."

And usually they don't.

 

 

I had a pollster call back ONE HOUR later, actually. This was about two weeks ago. She was calling for my husband, who was at work.

[Ellie]

Ellie, I love the way I always either totally agree or totally disagree with you! This one's an agree.

:cheers2:

[tjneary99]

I did not read all of the answers--but I have done this:

 

Go to the donotcall website and file a complaint. You will be asked to enter the number and time/date of call. You will be asked if it is an automated call also. It is also my understanding that companies who are not nonprofit can call you if you have asked to be removed from their list or they are subject to a fine.

Hope it gets resolved.:)

[Jpoy85]

I get those calls and they call back even if i let the answering machine get it. Its really annoying.

[Tree Frog]

I have heard some people putting the 3 tones followed by "this phone has been disconnected" from the phone companies on their answering machine; apparently it significantly decreased the number of the telemarketer calls.

 

We recently moved and I needed to give out my cell number to many businesses and schools for about 5 weeks because we didn't have a landline. I'm waiting for the telemarketers to begin calling it. And I'm really hoping they don't!

[TN Mama]

they hang up on you! Seriously, you barely get two words out and they hang up on you. They call from different numbers so it's hard to track them. I now have caller ID and I don't answer the phone.

 

:iagree: Here, too! Many times when they call the # shows up as a cell # in California or in Nevada. Just strange. And they ALWAYS hang up on me.

 

Just realized this was an old thread. :) Oops.

Edited October 15, 2012 by TN Mama

[KidsHappen]

We no longer have a phone in our house. We have a phone number and our phone company sends all calls to a voice mail service then we can go through there and deal with any important calls. I cannot tell you how great it is to never have a home phone ring. Anyone that is important has our cell phone numbers.

[Rebel]

I have a smartphone and use the free MrNumber call blocker ap. I automatically blocked all numbers beginning with 800, 888, 877, aqnd 866. After that, anytime a call came through that I did not want, I just hit for it to block that number too. I have quite a block list built up. I just have them go to voicemail on the off chance I have a legitimate call coming in, but another option is the pick up and hang up treatment.

[razorbackmama]

How interesting I was reading this thread. Just now got a telemarketing call on my cell phone, which is registered on the Do Not Call list.:glare:

[QueenCat]

Just now got a telemarketing call on my cell phone, which is registered on the Do Not Call list.:glare:

 

That would be because illegitimate businesses don't follow the law, including the Do Not Call list.... frustrating at best.

[In the Rain]

I wish I had Rachel's home number. :glare:

 

The last time I got a call (from a live person who had called the evening before, and was very rude to me,) the woman asked for my husband and I cheerfully told her to just hold on for a minute and I'd get him for her.

 

And then I put down the phone and went back into the family room to watch some TV.

 

I have no idea how long she waited. :D

 

We haven't heard from her since then.

 

Brilliant!