topic Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer) in Community Chat

Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

Shorty2U — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:09:08 GMT

We have called ID and an answering machine. We never answer unless we know who it is. Telemarketerrs call from time to time and then they never call again after getting our voice mail a few times. Wella!

All except this one. They have been calling 3 to 4 X a day all hours of the day and night for approximately 6 months. They never leave a message, they just hang up. (Their business is on our ID and we dont deal with this place so we know not to answer).

Well today, I am not feeling well at all, and I am not in the mood for this phone to ring all day.

So I saw it was this same party, and so I answered and I said Pizza Hut, can I take your order? Nothing. I said hello are you there? Its Pizza Hut can I take your order. They hung up...lol..

I hope thats the end of it now. If they dont stop now, I am going to see if I can get this number blocked by our cable/phone company, b.c this one is bordering on obsessive calling now. And oh we are on the do not call list too but some of them dont care, they still call.

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

ID2 — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:15:09 GMT

Cute! Hope it works for you. The only thing that stopped all of our unwanted calls was to get rid of our landline phone. I was resistant but finally did it. It has been the best blessing of my life! I only received phone calls from people i know now. I NEVER get telemarketers, election calls, etc... I never thought it would work so good but it has!! I don't miss having my landline phone at all! I highly recommend it!

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

Nightowlz — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:23:23 GMT

LOL!!! I get those calls every day. I'm sick of them. I turned off my answering machine. They still call daily even though we never answer their calls. You think they would get the hint. They will never get an answer from our number. They want you to answer the phone so they know it's a working number so they can sell it. If I don't recognize the number I don't answer. Have you gotten the call where the caller id shows your number? If nobody answered any of their calls they would stop. It's hard to believe people fall for these scams. Not happening to us now or when we are really elderly. You can search these numbers online & see what people are posting about the calls & who they are from.

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

Love my grandkids — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:17:49 GMT

Years ago we kept getting calls from a woman speaking what sounded like an Eastern European language, obviously a wrong number. Weren't able to tell her "wrong number " and she would call 3 times a day. After a week of this we got call block from our phone company. No more calls. I think call block is wonderful!

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

Nightowlz — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:21:24 GMT

@ID2 wrote:
Cute! Hope it works for you. The only thing that stopped all of our unwanted calls was to get rid of our landline phone. I was resistant but finally did it. It has been the best blessing of my life! I only received phone calls from people i know now. I NEVER get telemarketers, election calls, etc... I never thought it would work so good but it has!! I don't miss having my landline phone at all! I highly recommend it!

I'm guessing you are using a cell phone? I wondered if they called cell phones as much. I don't know if they call mine or not but it's always turned off unless I'm using it. I have a Tracfone. I have been debating on whether to get an Ooma to use with my home phone or get a different cell phone. I have not figured out how much it would cost using Tracfone vs another cell phone & how the monthly charges compare to my home phone.

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

chickenbutt — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:22:06 GMT

Great idea. I really hope it did work!

Don't even get me started. Telemarketing is the bane of my existence. Well, that and my eyebrows.

I recently changed my landline service from the regular ATT service I've had for decades to ATT's Uverse service. One of the biggest reasons I did so was that 'nomorobo' works with Uverse (and not just with regular ATT).

Additionally, I found in my Uverse account that I can also block numbers there.

I was getting phone calls from a number that just said 'Illinois' in the name field and then the phone number. Sometimes it would call every hour. I answered it the first time (well, I picked up the phone but didn't say anything to see if it was a robo call). It just hung up. But it kept calling.

I have to say that since August 20th I have not gotten one call. Even though I can block up to 30 calls at a time on my actual phones, it still had to ring once before it blocked and that was still kind of aggravating. Now, between the Uverse and nomorobo, I am hoping to have none of them get through AT ALL.

We'll see, as campaign season really starts cranking next year. So far, so good though!

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

vermint — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:29:08 GMT

@ID2 Sooner or later, you will probably get those calls on your cell phone, too. I get 3-5 a week. I don't answer them. Anyone I'd want to speak to is listed in my contacts.

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

Mj12 — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:30:59 GMT

I rarely get telemarketing calls but when I do, I just remind him or her that we're on the no call list and to not call again. I don't waste my time joking around with them. But I hope it worked for you.

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

nunya — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:31:10 GMT

I get them all day long, Yesterday I was painting, up on a ladder. The phone rang at least 8 different times with all different locations. I'm on the Do Not Call list, I didn't answer, but they were really peeing me off.

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

Jasmine19 — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:36:57 GMT

I used to get a dozen or so calls a day from unavailable or unknown callers. I was able to block some on my old phone but it only held about 10 blocked numbers. A few weeks ago I bought a new set of phones. The base phone with answering machine is corded, the other 3 are cordless. Each phone has a call block button. As soon as I see an unknown or suspect number on my caller ID I hit the block button. Wow is it quiet in my house now! Best purchase ever.

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

chickenbutt — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:40:08 GMT

MJ12 wrote:
I rarely get telemarketing calls but when I do, I just remind him or her that we're on the no call list and to not call again. I don't waste my time joking around with them. But I hope it worked for you.

Hi MJ! I used to do that and found that it never seemed to work - like EVER. I got frustrated with that. They would just say 'yes, we'll take you off the call list'. But they would keep calling and each would would kind of chuckle and say the same thing.

I bought a 'rape whistle' once and - well, that just seemed so cruel. But I'd heard that it really works.

Short of finding a way to block them, I've yet to find something that works. The more insidious the entity, the more likely you'll continue to hear from them until the end of time, despite your desire to be off their 'list'. It's truly maddening!

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

Ttownlady — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:45:16 GMT

Do yourself a favor, like I did, end of last year I switched service from landline to U-VERSE, got it love it, have it about 9mos. went online to my acctin July there you can sign up for free select " Call Screen in" works like a Charm.

I have 195 caller i.d's I just counted on my pjone "Call Block.

I went onlline to in July about 4 weeks ago and NO MORE TELEMARKETING R ROBO CALLS ! not one.

All I had to do go online to my acct. I am allowed enter "20 phone" numbers with U-verse, enter # from your phonebook list that you WANT person to call you number like numbers you use often,family friends,v.i.p #'s, I included of course QVC C/S.

Contact your Landline phone carrier or join U-Verse it s worth it.

I got sick & tired screaming at telemarkete'rs blocking every single call, yes, they call back twice v.o.i p they even used my home phone number,and a local shop, called back even when you tell tem NO! I was getting me so mad,I amn not spring chiken either.

Sick of Survery calls now it will Political calls Charity,forget it

Good luck to you I can certainly understand how you feel I been putting up with so many junk calls for over 4 years so I had it!

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

bonnielu — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:49:04 GMT

The cell phone is not immune from these calls. I am starting to get them. On my landline they happen all the time. I ignore them if I don't recognize the name. However I found blocking them doesn't really work since they change their number at will.

One day I just answered all of them. I figured I would PLAY, have a giggle or whatever. I answered one as if I was the local police department, they hung up super fast. I answered another one and engaged the gent in a conversation. He was from MICROSOFT (yeah right) he couldn't even say the name correctly. I kept him on for 15 minutes telling him a through my computer away and needed another one. Would he suggest a good brand, and good software programs to go on it. I asked him about anything technical I could think of. I kept him going and I ended up then questioning him how in the world he thought something was wrong with it. Then I went into should I report it to the police, perhaps someone picked it up and was using it in my name. Got to love the attention when you have nothing to do for the half hour or so. Kept me from eating or snacking.

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

ChynnaBlue — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:53:20 GMT

If you get repeated calls from a telemarketer AND you are on the Do Not Call list, you should also fill out a complaint form. Here's some more information about when that's appropriate and a link to the form: https://complaints.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

beach-mom — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:56:23 GMT

Great idea! Let us know if it works!

One of my friends picks up the phone then hangs up right away. Another one pretends she's a babysitter who doesn't understand English! I usually don't answer, but you all are right - they clog up the answering machine.

I noticed another sneaky trick they're pulling just last week. I picked up the phone because it was a local number. When I answered it, it sounded like I had a real person. But then "he" started to talk, and I realized I was talking to a recording when I interrupted and he kept on going!

When we moved in up here, our phone number was similar to that of a breakfast place that delivered. It wasn't even that close to us! We were getting calls at 5 a.m! Everyone was really nice when they realized they had the wrong number, and they always apologized for waking us up. They didn't. DH is always up then, and I was too back then! Once in a while we'll get another one, but it hasn't happened for a long time!

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

lulu2 — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 18:09:38 GMT

I'm convinced the only way to get rid of these calls is to get rid of the number, particularly if it is a landline. We are on the no call list, I've blocked numbers but still get the same numbers calling numerous times a day. They seem to be cyclical. After a week or so of calls from the same number, they'll stop, then start up months later. When you do reverse number searches they are often times residential. (which is why they skirt the no call list) You'll find tons of complaint. Many are soliciting for charities or trying to sell medical insurance. Then there's the IRS scams.

Do I think the Pizza Hut thing will remedy the problem? Maybe temporarily but eventually they'll start again.

I have no idea how many numbers I can block, but I'm probably reaching that magic number.

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

151949 — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 18:10:03 GMT

I really do not understand why people don't just pick up the phone, say they are not interested and hang up. Period. Honesty is the best policy in all things. Why would you play games on the phone like a child?

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

dex — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 18:11:18 GMT

Before all of the robo calls I used to love to answer and play games with them.I would say stuff like so glad you called because I am stuck at home with projectile vomiting and nobody wants to be around me.I Was wondering if you had any good home remedies?They always just hung up....soooo inconsiderate.

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

chickenbutt — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 18:12:52 GMT

151949 wrote:
I really do not understand why people don't just pick up the phone, say they are not interested and hang up. Period. Honesty is the best policy in all things. Why would you play games on the phone like a child?

I think that the 'game' is because you can say you're not interested until the cows come home but they will keep calling you. It takes a lot more than that to make the calls stop, unfortunately.

I know, while I'm at it, some people will scoff that you can just not answer. Well, for some households there are times when somebody has to be sleeping - or whatever - but who doesn't want peace and to be left alone by people with whom they don't wish to have contact. Unfortunately, this whole telemarketing and robocall thing has become like a cancer that's hard to rid yourself of.

Re: Do you think this worked? (telemarketer)

151949 — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 18:21:35 GMT

@chickenbutt wrote:
@151949 wrote:
I really do not understand why people don't just pick up the phone, say they are not interested and hang up. Period. Honesty is the best policy in all things. Why would you play games on the phone like a child?

I think that the 'game' is because you can say you're not interested until the cows come home but they will keep calling you. It takes a lot more than that to make the calls stop, unfortunately.

I know, while I'm at it, some people will scoff that you can just not answer. Well, for some households there are times when somebody has to be sleeping - or whatever - but who doesn't want peace and to be left alone by people with whom they don't wish to have contact. Unfortunately, this whole telemarketing and robocall thing has become like a cancer that's hard to rid yourself of.

I'm a nurse - I know all about working nights and sleeping during the day - there is a button on the phone to turn the ringer off - anyone can do it - very simple.