Do you think this worked? (telemarketer) - Page 5

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

Hey dooB! For me, picking up the robocalls has not had any adverse effect because I don't make a sound. I did this for a while because sometimes it would end up that it was not a robocall and it was somebody I needed to talk to, like the phone co or cable, etc, and I just didn't know the number.

If there is a person they will end up saying 'hello?' or something after several seconds. But if it's a robocall, it will disconnect because I haven't made a sound.

Between doing that and what I'm doing now - just turning the phones off so I don't hear it ring and not answering any of them - the volume hasn't changed.

But ITA that if you actually 'answer' it (by saying something) it WILL increase the calls because the voice-activation aspect of it will register it as a connection.

I sure wish they could make this sort of thing illegal. Well, I think we all know that they COULD, but too much money going into too many pockets will keep it going. It's just not right. I pay to have phones and I also pay extra for them to be private and unlisted so I should have some choice in the matter as to who uses them. Auto-dialing is just patently WRONG.

dooBdoo · ‎06-27-2010

chickenbutt wrote:
Hey dooB! For me, picking up the robocalls has not had any adverse effect because I don't make a sound. I did this for a while because sometimes it would end up that it was not a robocall and it was somebody I needed to talk to, like the phone co or cable, etc, and I just didn't know the number.

If there is a person they will end up saying 'hello?' or something after several seconds. But if it's a robocall, it will disconnect because I haven't made a sound.

Between doing that and what I'm doing now - just turning the phones off so I don't hear it ring and not answering any of them - the volume hasn't changed.

But ITA that if you actually 'answer' it (by saying something) it WILL increase the calls because the voice-activation aspect of it will register it as a connection.

I sure wish they could make this sort of thing illegal. Well, I think we all know that they COULD, but too much money going into too many pockets will keep it going. It's just not right. I pay to have phones and I also pay extra for them to be private and unlisted so I should have some choice in the matter as to who uses them. Auto-dialing is just patently WRONG.

Hey, chickie! I agree, auto-dialing is terrible.

Some of the robocall software does give an indication if we merely answer the phone, even if we don't say or do anything else. Also, some of the software can detect the difference between our answering as opposed to the voicemail or answering device "picking up." It's gotten very sophisticated. That's why the very best solution is to only pick up if we know the call is valid.

Few things reveal your intellect and your generosity of spirit—the parallel powers of your heart and mind—better than how you give feedback.~Maria Popova

truffle · ‎01-04-2016

We added a second landline to see what would happen and as soon as it went into service we got telemarketing calls most were the robo variety. We disconnected it. It's our govt that allows this stuff.....companies are in business because they get to call folks and then they pay their taxes, works for Uncle Sam not us.

dooBdoo · ‎06-27-2010

@riley1 wrote:
Got rid of my landline so that stopped those nonsense calls. However, they do call the cell phones - we've either won a trip (no one there), need help with a credit card (nope, just fine here, thank you - lol) or someone with a thick accent inquiring about my computer (now, I tell them I have none) - they are really nuisance calls and do not call doesn't stop anything - I let all calls now go to voicemail - which they never leave!

When I eliminated my landline it did stop a lot of the calls that were things like debt collection calls, people with actual numbers they were trying to track down, that sort of thing. The problem with the cell phones... even though they're not publicly listed, sometimes we provide the numbers to businesses, websites, promotional entries, etc., and get on a list without realizing it. Also, those robocalls scrolling through numbers will sometimes start hitting on cell numbers, so we can't really win.

Few things reveal your intellect and your generosity of spirit—the parallel powers of your heart and mind—better than how you give feedback.~Maria Popova

MaggieMack · ‎10-01-2014

I haven't had a landline for three years, and I do receive oddball calls on my cell. I look at the number, I never answer, and if it is not from my area code I immediately block. Then I google the number on the off chance it is a number relevant to my life. One time it was. One time. I love the block feature!

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. - Aesop

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@dooBdoo wrote:
@riley1 wrote:
Got rid of my landline so that stopped those nonsense calls. However, they do call the cell phones - we've either won a trip (no one there), need help with a credit card (nope, just fine here, thank you - lol) or someone with a thick accent inquiring about my computer (now, I tell them I have none) - they are really nuisance calls and do not call doesn't stop anything - I let all calls now go to voicemail - which they never leave!

When I eliminated my landline it did stop a lot of the calls that were things like debt collection calls, people with actual numbers they were trying to track down, that sort of thing. The problem with the cell phones... even though they're not publicly listed, sometimes we provide the numbers to businesses, websites, promotional entries, etc., and get on a list without realizing it. Also, those robocalls scrolling through numbers will sometimes start hitting on cell numbers, so we can't really win.

At this point in my life, I have to assume that if a call on my cell actually wants to reach "me", I will get a voicemail or a text message. No message? Automatic Delete. Life's too short.

I only recently learned that you can put your cell number into Do Not Call. I don't expect miracles but will be interested to see if it makes *any* difference.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

truffle · ‎01-04-2016

If you want to avoid telemarketing calls don't enter contests like BHG or anythiing from Hearst or Meredith Publishing that asks for a tel number. They sell your information. I had entered a Hearst contest years ago and before I had didn't get near as many calls. I also got weird spam that I never got before. I'm not a facebooker so I'm pretty sure it was from that.

Mrsq2022 · ‎03-10-2010

@Shorty2U Good for you! I may need to try this lol! You can also logon to the donotcall registry and if they continue to call, report them.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

Whenever I'm doing something where I have to input a phone number (and it won't allow me to just type in 'unlisted', 'no soliciting' or something - my phone number is 777 777 7777.

At this point I've learned that if an entity REQUIRES me to put in a phone number when one is just not needed, something's being sold.

NickNack · ‎03-10-2010

@dooBdoo wrote:

It's been said before and bears repeating... in almost every single case, answering the phone will not cut down on calls and will, in fact, cause them to increase.

These, for the most part, are just computers scrolling through random numbers in numeric order and they have no idea if any of them are actually in use. (This is one reason the Do Not Call Registry doesn't, and can't, apply to this type of robocalls.) Answering the phone -- and especially talking or pressing buttons -- tells them they got a "hit" and you can bet your number just went to a list that will be used, shared, and even sold.

@dooBdoo I never answer my phone if I don't recognize the number. I've wondered, though, doesn't the answering machine picking up let them know your number is a working number? I've been curious about this for a long time.

The Bluebird Carries The Sky On His Back"
-Henry David Thoreau