Hi. I read your advice, in PD Digest, re: how to stop telemarketers.
Telling them you're "not interested -- GOODBYE!" does not necessarily
work, I've learned. However, I recently also learned somewhere -- perhaps
at a state attorney-general's website -- how to permanently stop these
telemarketers from calling:
As I recall, here's the essence of what to do:
First, have a pad & pen available (as a rule( by the phone.
When a telemarketer phones, request his/her name & phone/extension number.
Also request the name & telephone number & address of the company/organization.
Then politely but definitely demand to be permanently removed from their
calling list, and ask the person to confirm to you that he/she has done
this. Then also ask (if you want to go further with this) him/her to send
you a written confirmation in the mail. If there is a refusal at any point
in this process, demand to speak to the supervisor; if you get hung up on
or refused, then you can phone or write directly to the president of the
company (or even the president's office) about what happened, and repeat
your demand -- also adding that if this company violates your "do not call
again, remove me from your calling-list" request, that you will have every
right to utilize the full extent of Federal Law re: telemarketing, as your
recourse. You should also write a letter recapping this situation &
conversation, and send it (certified) to the company's president; of
course, keep a copy for yourself.
I have also heard, in a radio interview with an expert on this problem,
that if a telemarketer ignores your first request to have your name taken
off of their "call list", and they call you again, under Federal Law you
can write a letter to the company (probably to the president) and note
that under Federal Law the company MUST now pay you $500* for having
harrassed you.
*(Note: I am pretty sure the figure is $500, but perhaps someone can
doublecheck this figure. Also, I don't recall the name of the statute,
so perhaps someone else out there can do a search aand find it.)
But who wants to go through all this, just to maintain a semblance of
quietude?
There is another way that might work: I think that perhaps RADIO SHACK
(and similar places) sells a gadget that you can hook up to your phone, so
that when a telemarketer calls, as soon as you hear it's a telemarketer,
you press a button, and a synthesized voice takes over and tells the
telemarketer something to the effect of "This telephone does not accept
sales calls. Please immediately remove this number from your call-list.
Goodbye." And it hangs up. Not bad, huh?
I get so many of these telemarketer calls at some times that it's a real
nuisance. I haven't gone through all the steps that I've outlined above,
yet, but I might. I also decided that while I have every right to be tough
on these people, I also have to be a bit careful in speaking with them,
even if it's to demand that they not call again -- because "you never
know" who these people are or what their character is.
About a week ago, for example, after I'd received about 3 telemarketer
calls in a single morning, the *fourth* one called -- and I had had enough:
I answered with my usual "hello", but as soon as he said "Hi, how
ya doin'? Is Mr. or Mrs. ____ there?", I *loudly* said "Is this a sales call?
Because we don't accept sales calls at this number!". He huffily replied,
"No it's not a sales call, we have a special deal going, where's Mr. or
Mrs. ____? And who the hell are you?". Can you imagine the nerve of this
telemarketer, intruding into my home, ignoring my demand, and making the
mistake of treating me (regardless of whom I might have been) with
disdain? At that point, I decided that I ought to get his company's name
etcetera ... but before I could speak more than a few words, he overrode
me by shouting that *I* had a hell of a nerve, and *he* hung up on *me*!
I then tried dialling "*69", to trace his number, but, of course, it was
untraceable....
Nothing ever came of this situation, but it later occurred to me, that
somehow it may not be a good idea to get these people riled, because
*they* know *your* number and name, and unless they give you all the info
that you request, *you* most likely don't know who *they* are or what
their minds are like. So, I guess, politeness but firmness -- or the Radio
Shack gadget -- are the best solutions.
Fun, huh?
-- SJS
7/21/98
*************
