I'm on the no call list, but I still get calls from not-for-profits and political candidates. What do you do to discourage these people and get off their call lists?
2006-09-26 04:38:21 · 37 answers · asked by babalu2 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
keep them on the phone for as long as possible.
ask as many questions as you can possibly think of.
2006-09-26 04:39:51 · answer #1 · answered by timc_fla 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The problem is that the 'do not call' list does not apply to nonprofit and political candidates. And I am not even sure that asking to be removed from the list does much good (most political calls are recordings anyway).
And while I like the idea of putting down the phone or keeping them on the line for a long time, I think this only hurts the guy on the phone, not the organization who is making the call.
2006-09-26 04:46:06 · answer #2 · answered by Wundt 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm also on the do-not-call list, and I still get calls from people trying to SELL me things. That's in addition to the not-for-profits and political candidates... :-(
If it's a not-for-profit or a political candidate, I ask them to remove me from their list and hang up.
If it's a sales call, I do that but also file a complaint at the government do-not-call site. I don't know if it does any good...
2006-09-26 06:05:59 · answer #3 · answered by btsmith_y 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ask them their name, who they are representing and what is the reason for the call. Actually write this information down to document it. Be sure to add the time of the call to your documentation. Tell them what you have just done and that you have documented all of the information and that you're on the "do not call list". If they call back, you're going to report them and take them to court. You can do that and in most states you can win a judgment from a judge. I'd call the State's Attorneys Office. When they hear you say your little speech, they definitely won't call you again. If they do then carry out your threat and make some money!
2006-09-26 04:48:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know how it works overseas, but here in Australia, if you press hash several times on the phone before they get into conversation, it will not only cut them off, but also delete the memory of your number their end. The other way is to tell them to hold on, leave the phone off the hook and go back about an hour later. This all costs the telemarketer companies money and they will soon leave you alone.
2006-09-26 04:45:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I too am on the no call lists... numerous ones, and that doesn't stop the morons from calling.
I generally prolong their conversation so to ring up the phone bill. I ask:
Do you like your job ?
What do you want for Christmas ?
What are you getting ME for Christmas since you obviously know my number and called me to chitchat?
Sometimes when they call and ask for a certain person... I tell them they are dead... that lousy bastard / ***** owed me money so I killed them... the body is starting smell so I suppose I will have to dig a hole soon. etc...
Usually I end up laughing at the moron at the other end for they can't handle the sarcasm and hang up ON ME !
ha ha ha ha ha ha ! life is good when you can think quickly and make up a story for the telemarketers. My friends and family especially enjoy it when they are over and I put the phone on "speaker phone" so they can hear the mumbling fool on the other end !
By all means HAVE FUN WITH IT... !!!!
2006-09-26 06:06:48 · answer #6 · answered by Kitty 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The last time a telemarketer called to my folks house, I told them that they died and started crying hysterically. He apologized and I said that they should be sorry, they need to have respect for the dead. They haven't called since.
Oh, and mention something about that do not call list. It is against the law and the company, and the person whom is soliciting can both be fined thousands of dollars!
2006-09-26 04:46:55 · answer #7 · answered by Summer 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When the telemarketers call my house I tell them I will listen to what they have to say but in return they have to listen to what I have to say. When it's my turn I start by asking them if they know where they will be spending eternity, heaven or hell. They usually hang up on me and I get no more calls from them. I very rarely get any telemarketing calls now.
2006-09-26 04:42:36 · answer #8 · answered by peng1master 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Make them feel uncomfortable. If I get a female calling, I act like a dirty old man and ask her things like what she's wearing. If it's a male, I still put on my "Dirty old man" voice, but ask him if there's any women in where he works, and if they're attracted to him, and tell him how lucky he is, etc. I keep pushing their boundries until they hang up. Remember, THEY are calling YOU, so you can say almost anything you want; stuff that would be considered sexual harassment in the workplace doesn't apply because THEY called YOU in YOUR HOME.
2006-09-26 06:04:31 · answer #9 · answered by digitalquirk 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maintain control of the conversation. Be firm and no nonsense, but polite. Make your self sound like an attorney. Find out their purpose and make a show of writing down their name and number. Politely tell them you are not interested and ask to be please be taken off their list. You want them to know that you mean business, but that you don't hate them personally. You don't want them to want to have it in for you. If they violate any laws or call you again, report them. If you have scared them by taking down their information and making it sound like you know what you are doing, most likely you won't get calls from them in the future.
2006-09-26 07:04:56 · answer #10 · answered by Think.for.your.self 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ask them to hang on for a minute and walk away from the phone, sooner or later they will hang up, or tell them to take you off their calling list or you will file charges on them for harrashment, That usually works for me
2006-09-26 04:42:02 · answer #11 · answered by KIM A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋