Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Hate Telemarketers? Me too!!

First - Yes, I am on the Do Not Call registry. In fact, I can tell you I registered at 8:18 am the first morning they opened up that Web site. About a month after it kicked in, I was able to cancel my Caller Id add-on service since my cold calls dropped from 15 per day to zero. But if they are non-profits, or if they are just doing surveys, they can still bug the crap out of you.

When I get one of these calls, the most I can usually muster is to politely tell the person calling me that whatever they are selling, or giving away, or asking me about in a survey, I am not interested. Then I politely ask them to remove me from their call list, I thank them, and hang up. I do not want that job!

The last person who came to my front door was giving away free home alarm systems. Really? Free? Yep, free. Then I said that if it were free, then there would be no monthly fee to use it, right? Er, no, it was just free installation. Aaaah, so it is NOT a free security system, just free installation. Then I am not interested. He proceeded to tell me about the recent increase in crime in my neighborhood, and I pointed out the No Solicitation sign at the entrance to the neighborhood, then I thanked him and closed the door. I figure he wrote down my address and he'll send someone back to rob me later. So far, so good, though.

But here is someone who got really clever and did something about those cold calls.



Okay, it was a mean thing to do to that poor guy, but on some level, you've gotta love it!

1 comment:

Jan Scholl said...

I can so relate to this. I went on the do not call list even tho I rarely picked up the phone. I did not have caller ID as I won't give out my number to anyone and hate paying for something that should be free. Anyways, someone in my family gave my number as a contact for loans--then defaulted and the wonderful banks, collection agencies etc called me. Even when I told them that person didnt live here and never had, it continued. So I got an answering machine to take the calls and I would leave for an afternoon and the machine would be full. So I unplugged it and have not used the phone for almost 18 months. If I plug it back in for some odd reason, it starts all over. politicians, beggers etc. its unlisted, and I have a cell for my own calling. I only have the phone because first I had dial up and needed it--then I got DSL and still need it as the phone company won't sell me naked DSL. what to do? I contacted the FCC etc and all say the calls are not their problem. even when I say don't call---then the bill collectors for said evil sister and brother started coming to the house...then a process server. I have signs to not ring bell, not to step on porch, no soliciting etc. it does not stop them. I feel like a prisoner sometimes. I love this idea but the phone was the easy one to deal with-I just unplug. wish I could unplug the idiots who come to the door--and a pox on my stupid family too. which they deny ever doing.