what can happen if some one sexually harasses a telemarketer, or a debt collector?

Question

since they called did the calling, can they sue for harrassment. havent we all wanted to irritate those people that call us early saturday morning and during dinner.

Answer 1

When I worked in a non-sales call center, there was a special department that dealt specifically with folks who would hang up and get abusive.

While being sexually harassed was a reason for a normal employee to end a call, it did not stop the 'special' employees from calling you instead.

And most places record calls in some fashion- where I worked, I could be randomly recorded at anytime and I could also hit a button that would start a recording if I felt I needed something to back me up with the supervisors. So keep that in mind if you feel moved to make death threats.

In short- abusing them will not stop the calls. Someone out there is selling your phone number, and for every marketer that you ask to remove you from their rolls, five more call.

Two pieces of advice:
1. register with the do not call list: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/tcpa.html

2. look into buying something like this:
http://www.hellodirect.com/hellodirect/Shop?Dsp=30100&PCR=1:1:5:25:280:3020&IID=12200&itemskuid=12200&actn=addkeycodetocart&keycode=53400538&cm_mmc=Google-_-MISC-_-CallBlocker-_-stop%20marketing%20calls

Answer 2

They shouldn't be able to do anything- you can claim harrassment before they do. I don't know- if they have the money and the need to hire a really good lawyer, they may be able to do something but I highly doubt it would be a problem. PLus, I am sure those telemarketers are used to being harrassed on an everyday basis.

Answer 3

I dunno, I suppose they could. The debt collector, in particular, is just doing his/her job, so you'd think the courts would tend to side with him/her. The telemarketer -- hmmm. Well, they'd need the big bucks to take it to court, and if they HAD the big bucks, what are they doing as a telemarketer?

I think it's just better for everyone's karma to politely say, "We don't buy anything over the phone. Please take our name off your list." and then hang up.

In Japan, we don't have that "Do Not Call" list (or no one ever told me about it). Some telemarketer from ALICO tried to engage me in a conversation after I politely did *MY* spiel, and asked me, "Excuse me, but you aren't Japanese, are you?" THEN I got mad, and repeated my spiel in a very testy voice. And hung up. I hate those calls too, but it's not worth my time to spend five minutes making someone else's life miserable.

Answer 4

Why not just put your number on the state and federal Do Not Call List? It puts a stop to those calls. Since I put my number on it, I only get calls from companies I do business with. I posted the federal link for you below.

Answer 5

they can do nothing at all, they are calling your house. i never thought of doing that haha i usually will drag them along for a while before i ask them to take me off there call listr. i cant stand people trying to sell me crap when im in my own home, thats a place that i should be able to get away from that sort of thing if i want. i think that sexually harrasing them is not very nice though.

Answer 6

Sexual harassment is when a boss says that an employee has to do something sexual or she's fired. Or something like that. That doesn't apply here. The caller can just hang up the phone.

Answer 7

I'm not really associated with this stuff, but off course they could sue for sexual harrasment even if they called. They weren't offering themselves to you, they came to get something else. I catch your drift on calling on Saturday morning...sheesh!