Telephone Spam

[62_Kiwi]

Excuse me if I have a rant here... <br /><br />I'm wondering if this happens anywhere else in the world besides here...but these days I'm getting at least one phone call a night, sometimes two or three - with people (or worse - talking machines) trying to sell me something. Usually it's financial services or some "hot investment". It's starting to really *&^&* me off. It never used to be this bad There should be a law against it.<br /><br />I can handle email spam - because my filtering system deletes it (it is still a pain, a waste of bandwidth and an annoyance) - but phone spam is worse because it takes my time to stop what I'm doing and answer the phone...<br /><br />Does anyone ever buy anything off these people?<br /><br />Do you get this in your area? (I hope I'm not the only one getting this treatment - or maybe it's some bad kind of practical joke )

 

[ob]

Re: Telephone Spam

Happens all the time everywhere I suppose.Gripes me just a bit less than people talking on cell phones while driving/dazing thru in town traffic,which seems to be more on the order of 150-200 times a day. Businesses stateside over here are supposedly required to drop your number from their calling list upon your request or face potential legal action.But with all of the thousands of companies that use phones to solicit business you'd have to be in the business of making several requests.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Telephone Spam

We have a national do not call list here. After you sign up for free, if you get a call, the company is screwed.

 

[heycods]

Re: Telephone Spam

They have spotters out for them here, you answer the phone and they hang up, you can bet in the next 5 min some salesman will call, Happens 4or 5 times every week. not as bad as befour posting on the do not call list.

 

[lark2004]

Re: Telephone Spam

I was getting heaps of these calls a while ago, most of them from 'Trend West'. I eventually threatened legal action against them (Trend West) as I had asked them repeatedly when they had called me to stop calling.<br /><br />I got a reply the next day, very apologetic, and since then I have not ANY calls. I think that the other companies who were calling must have been using the Trend West calling list.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Telephone Spam

We too get them, but because we are a business we always answer with our business name first. Strangely that elimates a lot, they just hang up. We also let calls at certain times go to the answer machine, and that fixes a lot to. Those that catch me out, I just hang up.<br />Cheers<br />Phillip

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Telephone Spam

In Australia it is easy to stop them. Simply say the words "remove my number from your list", they are legally bound to do so.

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: Telephone Spam

Before our "do not call" list I told every last one of those butt holes "I NEVER buy ANYTHING over the phone, PERIOD." Funny, I never got repeat calls.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Telephone Spam

Yah, PITA sheet, bass turds would call all hours of the eve. some as late as 10:00 PM. Our national do not call list is truly a wonderful thing.

 

[Chief101]

Re: Telephone Spam

Same thin here, every day and night. I did buy a windshield for my pickup a few years ago when they gave me a hunnerd dollar rebate, and my deductable was sixty bucks. Forty dollar profit. I'm very rude to them and they still call, every day.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Telephone Spam

Ayuh,.......<br /><br />I Used to be Bombarded about Every Night,......<br /><br />Then New York state passed the "Do Not Call" law,..... I registered as Soon as possible.....<br />Then the Federal law came along,+ I registered there as well......<br /><br />Now,.... The Only calls I get are 1s from companies that I do business with,...That's the way the law is written........<br /><br />Oh Ya,...... And,........ Politicians are Also Exempt from the law(wouldn't ya know),.... So,... around Election Time,......<br />The phone starts Ringing Off the Wall,.... Again........<br /><br />BTW,........ Here's where You can get in on the Federal Listing.............

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Telephone Spam

Originally posted by Dunaruna:<br /> In Australia it is easy to stop them. Simply say the words "remove my number from your list", they are legally bound to do so.

Works the same way here, too. Legit companies comply. Think it’s bad getting “a” spam call a day?!? In Japan, 2 out of every 3 cell phone calls are spam. It's to the point that some people make appts with each other to connect by cell phones, and leave their cell turned off the rest of the time.<br /><br />It would be so easy to implement a block number and/or allowed number scheme on cell phones, but it would reduce the number of air minutes you use, thus less $$$ for the cell company.<br /><br />Edit: ironically, the only problem we have with spam phone calls is from the local police officer’s outreach program. They won’t stop calling and asking for donations, even tho they have been told a billion times to knock it off. Was thinking about getting a restraining order against my local police dept to have them stop calling my home.

 

[SwampNut]

Re: Telephone Spam

There's an easy, 100% effective solution. Drop your home phone and use only a cell phone. I did that six years ago and haven't had a single telemarketing call since.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Telephone Spam

I like to reply to everything they say by burping. They seem to get grossed out by the third sentence.<br /><br />No, I don't really do that, but wouldn't it be funny?

 

[62_Kiwi]

Re: Telephone Spam

Hey thanks for all the good ideas and feedback everyone. <br /><br />I'll have to find out whether we have one of those opt-out services here in NZ. A great concept.<br /><br />Strangely - the phone's been quieter this week...

 

[Bondo]

Re: Telephone Spam

Not that I've ever tried it,........<br />But,.........<br /><br />A couple of brothers, who are close friends of mine,.. Keep 1 of those Freon Can Air Horns,......<br />Right Next to their Phone....... <br /><br />They consider it a "Sport" to harass the telemarketers.............. <br /><br />Tom,... The brother with the "Gift of Gab",... Was successful at getting a telemarketer to give Him, His Home Phone #,.... Under the premise that Tom would call back at a more Opportune Time......<br /><br />Tom, or Bill called that #,... Every Night, between Midnight,+ 5am,...... For 2 Weeks,.....<br />That's how long it took for the guy to Change His #....................

 

[fireship1]

Re: Telephone Spam

Now that sounds funny! Making a sport out of harassing the telespammers! I think I'm goona start looking for hand held boat horns on e bay.

 

[cmyers_uk]

Re: Telephone Spam

In the UK we have the telephone preference service. I registered the calls stopped. Apparently if they call you and you on the list 5K fine.

 

[brine]

Re: Telephone Spam

In ontario they are supposed to stop calling you if you ask them. I have dealt with this a few ways.<br /><br />1.Since they often have a supervisor monitoring their schpeel, I ask them if they are interested in starting a union.<br /><br />2.Ask them if they want to buy a set of kitchen chairs or a golf putter or my old bayliner.<br /><br />3. My favourite is to start asking them pleasant questions that have nothing to do with anything and see how long it takes THEM to hang up. Remember they are on piece-work usually. You can hear the frustration build in their voice as they tell you if it is cloudy where they are or if they prefer sandals to running shoes!<br />

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Telephone Spam

When they call and ask for me or the Mrs. I just hand the phone to our two year old.<br /><br />spots