ENOUGH telemarketing!

I have had my home phone number less than 24hrs and it is absolutely RIDICULOUS the amount of sales calls I have received, esp from schools. I had one correctional place in California call me and when I asked to be removed from their list they said they needed my name, address and email. I was like you are insane you need none of that to remove my name. Nobody had my number til late last night!

What kind of scam is it that schools are calling and soliciting people? Im sorry but ANY school that does this imo is crap and not a valid place for education. The entire "higher education" system is a joke now in this country. It's a money making scam, they are just as bad as the banks!

I also had an incident last night where I told the guy to take me off their list and next thing I know a separate tab pops up on my computer with the National Do Not Call Registry website....I had a member in chat explain to me how this happened and tbh it's CREEPY AS HELL.

Everywhere you go it's BUY BUY BUY, SPEND SPEND SPEND. Im sick of products and services being shoved in my face. If I want something I will seek it out myself. I dont need anyone telling me what I should buy!

I had the same issue with my BH phone number, one person had it yet it rang off the hook with telemarketing and sales calls. I also love their response when I say "how did you get this number," their response is, "you requested information." Yea LIE!


Ahhhhh I hate telemarketers. I know they are just trying to do their job but my god it's so annoying! I dont want someone from The Philippines calling me acting American either thinking that will make me want to purchase whatever crap they are selling.


Then to put my name on the DNC list it was a huge process! I mean come on!

I always just tell them, "Yeah, he/she's here, 1 minute, let me put you on hold real quick and I'll get him/her," to which I then just hang up. I used to just hang up right away, but since I can't stop them, I have fun with them now. I also like to act a bit too. One time for every word they tried to say to me, I would interrupt them screaming at the top of my lungs, then when they start going Sir Sir Sir, I say it's a disorder I have and I just keep on doing it.

It's mean, I know, but they get paid by the hour so why not.

I hear you there. My voicemail is useless because all my slots are filled to capacity daily. Vacations, credit approval, refinancing this and that. They literally leave computer voice messages on my voice mail. I registered on the Federal No Call list and they still call anyway. I have some of the same places continue to call and I have got a live person (it's a computer but sometimes if you push pound sign you get a live person) and told them to take me off the list and they don't. I constantly get called about mortgages and credit cards of which I have none in the first place. Obviously it works.. Obviously there are enough idiots out there that give them business to make it worth doing, just like the spam emails.

This being a conspiracy site, here's an idea: the phone company keeps sending me these flyers to pay $5 a month more or so and they will magically block all telemarketers from getting through to me. Maybe they're the ones running all the auto dialers.

Maybe its just best to hang up as soon as you know its not family or friends.

Telemarketers dont get far enough with me to even let me know where they're calling from.

"Good evening, I'm Sarah from..."
CLICK

I really dont know why people bother having conversations with them.

Originally posted by digitalbluco
I always just tell them, "Yeah, he/she's here, 1 minute, let me put you on hold real quick and I'll get him/her," to which I then just hang up. I used to just hang up right away, but since I can't stop them, I have fun with them now. I also like to act a bit too. One time for every word they tried to say to me, I would interrupt them screaming at the top of my lungs, then when they start going Sir Sir Sir, I say it's a disorder I have and I just keep on doing it.

It's mean, I know, but they get paid by the hour so why not.

edit on 12/6/2011 by digitalbluco because: the to they

HAHA good idea!

IDK it's just literally in the last 18hrs my phone is non stop. Its insane. I only have a home phone to talk to my honey overseas and that is it!

reply to post by mblahnikluver


I like this guys approach.





Also for the people with roommates...just yell I think its for you and let them deal with it.

Originally posted by alfa1
Maybe its just best to hang up as soon as you know its not family or friends.

Telemarketers dont get far enough with me to even let me know where they're calling from.

"Good evening, I'm Sarah from..."
CLICK

I really dont know why people bother having conversations with them.

I love when I answer and they say can I speak to ____ and they then try and say is it pronounced this way or that way. I then say if you knew you'd know how to say my name and please remove me from your list. That is about as far as I get with them. I dont want to hear any of what they have to say.

Who says I have conversations with them? I dont even have caller ID now so I have to answer and talk to them and ask to take my name off. Im not gonna just hang up, they will just call back later or the next day lol.

Working in call centers many agents dont give a crap about the DNC list and when you ask will just ignore your request and not put you on so it's best to go directly to the site and fill out the form.

You know, I have the opposite lately and have found it very strange. I just had a house phone hooked up about 2 weeks ago, and have not had 1 telemarketer. I wonder if maybe the person who had the number before me put the number on the do not call list. Does it carry over?

s&f

I feel your pain man!

Been getting calls from these so called sales people for so long that I miss them when they don't ring!

It used to really frustrate me, especially as the calls where from when I get home from work until late at night.

Now I like to play games with them. My favourite is keeping them talking and making them think they've got me, then either just hang up or say, nah i'm alright thanks. They hate it!

Whenever telemarketers call, I wait for them to finish then tell them why I think Ron Paul should be elected President and ask if they will be voting for him. They usually hang up.

I run a telemarketing business built on phone sales. I know you hate the calls as do I but they are not going away anytime soon trust me. As long as there are people out there that just cannot say no or continue to say yes whether they truly want the product being sold or not is frankly just the way it is at the moment. Look around we are in a society of people who buy and sell crap. If you want to "get back" or whatever, at the telemarketing company then don't answer the phone. You have to understand that there are thousands of telemarketing companies out there some good and some bad. When we get a person that requests to be removed from the list it;s "Yes sir or mam thanks for your time and we click a button which marks the person as DNC. Then we scrub our list against that list and the national DNC list, which who really knows if its being updated or not I mean the government is in control. Anyway the company will spend more money on the long distance calls if you just don't answer and ignore them. Its easier obviously if you have a cell phone. Anyway look at it how you want to negative or positive. I just think its easier to think about positive stuff in my life not the negative. Oh and if you are getting allot of calls it probably is because you did something online or somewhere and dont remember and now your on a thousand lists. remember read everything before you sign up.

reply to post by DrumsRfun


ROTFLMAO!

That was HILARIOUS!

My old roommate use to do things like this and it was pretty damn funny. I could never do it cause I'd just start laughing...

reply to post by kjburto


I don't think it's fair that our only option to deal with unsolicited sales calls is to not answer the phone. As far as I'm concerned, if some bottom-feeding telemarketer wants to call me, they're going to get what's coming to them, ESPECIALLY if it is early in the morning, late in the evening, or around dinner time.

Usually when they call and ask for me I tell them that I am deceased. Sometimes I say "No habla ingles" and when they continue, I keep saying "nooo" like the Mexican maid in Family Guy.

To me, telemarketers are an invasion of privacy and I resent them. I'm retired, I've got plenty of time, and I'm as ornery as the day is long. As you may have guessed, I don't get too many telemarketing calls anymore.

When I get those calls I put them on hold, then put on some of the nastiest hard core rap I can find on the TV/radio and put the phone near the speaker. They usually take you off their call list after a few incidents like that.

Originally posted by kjburto If you want to "get back" or whatever, at the telemarketing company then don't answer the phone.

Dumbest thing i have heard yet....Why so they can call back an hour later? No thanks! I will answer and tell them to remove me. I have worked in telelmarketing companies and most are fly by night places that don't follow any guidelines.....

You have to understand that there are thousands of telemarketing companies out there some good and some bad.

Gonna have to say the majority are bad and that is from experience. I dont mind inbound calling agencies but outbound is horrible. I have worked for various big companies in their outbound sales dept and it's a joke. They don't train and they hire some of the shadiest people. I usually worked my way out of outbound and into verification or another dept....I have yet to work for one tele company that was deemed "good."

When we get a person that requests to be removed from the list it;s "Yes sir or mam thanks for your time and we click a button which marks the person as DNC. Then we scrub our list against that list and the national DNC list, which who really knows if its being updated or not I mean the government is in control.

That is how it is suppose to be but many do not follow this unfortunately. I use to sit next to people who would have people request to be on the DNC and the agents would laugh and not do it just to piss the person off later on....Hopefully your agents arent doing this That is good that you have a line at least for your agents.

Anyway the company will spend more money on the long distance calls if you just don't answer and ignore them.

How do they make more money when I don't answer? Im actually curious on this one....
I am not gonna let it ring off the hook all day, that is annoying to my ears!

Its easier obviously if you have a cell phone.

Not true I have a cell and still get soliciting calls and texts on that as well lol It's hopeless! I am pretty sure it's ATT since they are my cell and now home phone provider. They seem to sell their customers information like no tomorrow!

Anyway look at it how you want to negative or positive. I just think its easier to think about positive stuff in my life not the negative. Oh and if you are getting allot of calls it probably is because you did something online or somewhere and dont remember and now your on a thousand lists. remember read everything before you sign up.

Um did you not read what i said in my OP. I JUST got the phone yesterday and only 2 people have my number so I didn't do anything online. It's ATT's fault. I had a member explain to me yesterday something about IP addresses and phone numbers. I can't explain it back but it made sense and I have to call ATT to ask them to do a few things to my account. IDK it has something to do with my IP net address and my phone number, my phone line is DSl.


This is the rant forum so positivity is out the door.....other than this life is great!

Originally posted by chiefsmom
You know, I have the opposite lately and have found it very strange. I just had a house phone hooked up about 2 weeks ago, and have not had 1 telemarketer. I wonder if maybe the person who had the number before me put the number on the do not call list. Does it carry over?

OMG you are so lucky, you must not have ATT lol

From what i remember when we had DNC training it doesnt carry over. It's attached to your email and when it's reissued to a new person it's then out there again for the tele world to see!

You are lucky! Literally a min after I plugged my phone in it was ringing and rang all night! I had BH before and didnt have a phone hooked up to the line so all I saw was the caller ID on the TV screen and it was insane how many called a day and how many times in one day they called! I like the caller ID on the TV, it makes it easy to turn the ringer off but DSL doesnt have that option so Im stuck listening to the ringer lol

Having done the job in my past , I certainly have a bit of sympathy for those who do telemarketing or telesales. believe me it's a pretty crappy job, soul destroying having people hang up and shout at you all day, with half hour break for lunch then back on the phone for more abuse.

I always try to be civil and sometimes if their any good , I will listen to their pitch and congratulate them and politely refuse.

reply to post by DrumsRfun

Yes it is very aggravating, however at least these people are working, trying to earn a living.

Do some get rude and nasty, yes, but that can happen anywhere at any time.

When the wife and I get these calls, we politely say we're not interested and thank them for the call,
we pause and listen, if they start back up with the "sales" call, we simply hang up, if they say that they understand or whatever, we again say thanks and have a good (day, night, evening).

Sigh, telemarketers....
Just one more reason NOT to have a phone.

I haven't had a phone in years, and will not get one in the foreseeable future. With all the "Awake" people here on ATS, I, for the life of me cannot understand why somebody still volunteers to carry around a proven tracking/listening device with them where ever they go. Deny Ignorance, my @ss! Deny reality! And don't give me that same old excuse, "I need it! I can't live without it!" That is a bullsh!t excuse and you know it. Mankind got along just fine without cell phones for millenia, we for damn sure don't need them now. Convenience? For who? Me? It is not convenient for me to have an extra bill of $50-$125 a month depending on usage and overage charges. It is NOT convenient for me to have to listen to somebody talk sweet nothings to his "boo" while we are riding the city bus.
In my opinion, cell phones are just another gimmick for telecommunication companies to slowly bleed society of their money; a tool for the government alphabet agencies to eavesdrop on private conversations; all the while convincing society that they "need" to stay in touch every waking moment of the day.
You wanna hit them where it hurts?
Drop your cell phones in a river, and walk away.