Hi,
For the past few months I have been bugged by automated telemarketers with spiels starting with "This is an important message regarding your credit card" and a similar one about my expiring auto warranty. We are on the "do not call registry" so these shouldn't happen. I have responded a couple times to give them hell but didn't get a human to rant to. Is there some recourse to these jerks?
Thanks, Gary
"Abby" wrote in news:N5OdnbpaTYwZfC7UnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@supernews.com:
Change your phone number is the best way to get rid of all phone pests. Caller ID is your friend.
Did you know that the do not call registry automatically expires after (I believe) 3 years? You'll have to reregister for do not call. Even then, some pests, like the PBA, are perpetual and claim exemption.
I especially dislike the text messages on my cell phone for which /I/ have to pay.
Do Not Call lists no longer expire.
I just hang up on them. Not worth the trouble to track them down.
Unless you are bored at work. I had one guy on the phone for 20 minutes to sell me a car warranty. Told him I had a '91 Regal with 160,000 miles that I just paid $4900 for. I could hear him stifle a laugh, but he continued anyway. They wanted $1400 for the warranty and I told him I though that was a good deal.
You are one of millions who has been called by a hard core telemarket law violator. They use fake caller ID, and ignore the do not call list.
Report them to your state's Attorney General and the Do Not Call violation complaint site.
Links to news items about it:
"Charlie" wrote in news:gp0oph$jpu$ snipped-for-privacy@news.motzarella.org:
That's good to know, Charlie, thanks! Now how do I get callers like dave's carpet cleaning to honor the do not call list?
I got a call from ABC Warehouse a few days ago about extending the warranty on my LCD TV that I bought from them a year ago. They wanted $119 a month for 6 months to extend the warranty on a TV I paid $1100 for. I told her that was ridiculous and hung up.
One time I let a telemarketer go on and on and finally I told her that I would need three pieces of valid ID from her before we could continue. I told her we could start with her name and address and drivers license number. After a long pause she goes "What?". By then I was laughing too hard and just hung up.
Glad to see the FTC is on the case, but I thought they ran out of coupons?
You already had a business relationship with ABC Warehouse (with whom I have been advised not to do business anyway), so the Do Not Call list does not apply to them.
Political parties and "charitable organizations" are also exempt.
Perce
I get a ton of these calls and having a business line in the house, mine are doubled.
I always hit number to speak to a live operator. It costs them time and money.
If you ask where they are calling from or ream them out they always hang up. So best, if you're up to it, is to string them out and let them waste more time. Never feel sorry for these people as they are breaking the law.
Most amusing call I had was from the expired auto warranty people. When operator answered he asked make and model of car and I told him, "Since you called me you must have the information." to which he hung up.
If I'm on the computer, here's a childish url I bring up for them to listen to:
Well there are laws about someone throwing a brick through your window but it can happen. Sp obviously if some riff-raff does that you get whomever enforces that law involved.
There is a form on the do not call web site to report such self important riff-raff who feel laws don't apply to them:
Not Charlie but if you have a business relationship with "Dave's carpet cleaning" they have a right to call. However according to the do not call regulation you have the right to request that they only call you for non-marketing reasons. If they don't respect that you go here:
George wrote in news:gp113g$m80$ snipped-for-privacy@news.motzarella.org:
Thanks George! I have no relationship with "Dave's carpet cleaning" whatsoever They are nororious for violating the do not call list, and I have complained via the obscure and involved complaint procedure. Eventually the calls stopped, for whatever reason.
Google the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Act of 1991. The act requires telemarketers to maintain their own do not call lists, to place a consumer's phone number on such lists upon request, provide proof of having done so -- and allows consumers to sue violators in civil court for the amount of actual damages or $500 whichever is *greater*. I settled out of court with GTE for $100 cash about ten years ago... :-)
Or you could move to Indiana. Our state do-not-call law is much more stringent than the Federal law, and the Secretary of State's office is a real bulldog about enforcing it. We used to get two or three telemarketing calls every evening; since about a month after the state law went into effect, it's more like two or three a *year*.
I realize that. I was just addressing the warranty thing.
David
I assume you mean converter box coupons? If so, they got stimulus funds and are shipping coupons again. As Fark says, "Our long national nightmare is over. TV converter box coupons flowing again" :-)
"Charlie" wrote
Thanks for including the link Charlie! I'd been meaning to do that for our
3 cells, 2 of which get the spam voicemail over the car warrantee, sometimes several times a day. I gather it won't help with that one, but may help with some of the others.
I love my TeleZapper!
Steve
"SteveB" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.infowest.com:
Why should I have to spend $40 plus salestax to get rid of telemarketers? I'd use one of those devices if the telemarketers paid for one.
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