The Evil Known as Telemarketers.

[Boozy]

I just had a general thought on the subject that I thought I would share.

I think there must be a difference between Canada and the US in the volume of telemarketing calls people get. Canada doesn't even have a DNC list yet, and I have never received a telemarketing call at my current home number. Never.

Of course, we also have an unlisted number, and I don't give it out much. So that might be the difference right there.

[Zyanya]

You don't have to be rude. Creepy and so forth can be so much more fun, as well as being far cleverer than them. Great icebreaker at parties! It's not instant, but even your method hasn't worked initially, I would imagine - from my experience, the more persistant companies will try and call you again without respecting the request to remove someone from their list. Mind you, I only ever logged one company's efforts at calling two or three times every week.

In other words, keep doing exactly what I've been doing, only instead of being forthright play stupid little games. Okay, got it.

What campaigning on the issue have you done? What are you doing? Will I have to ask this a dozen times?

Try reading the posts where I answered this. You know, the one where I said I signed petitions, try to get other people involved, and vote. Really Raps, you spent pages and pages and pages arguing with me and the truly funny thing is you eventually admitted you do the same thing I do, only you don't even see telemarketers as human beings, but as playthings. I've always found hypocrisy amusing.

[Rapscallion]

In other words, keep doing exactly what I've been doing, only instead of being forthright play stupid little games. Okay, got it.

First of all, they weren't stupid. I outwitted them. Secondly, I have to admit this now, but at the time I rather enjoyed pushy telesales people, because I was able to thwart them. Quite a number of them never called back that I was aware of.

Doing what you have been doing? Hardly - I tried that with UU, and it didn't work. I talked to at least three supervisors to explain that they were calling two or three times a week. I demanded to be taken off their list, and they promised that I would be. They were still calling three months later, so I had to up the ante with what you describe as a 'stupid little game'. I gave them what they wanted, proving that they didn't actually want it in the first place.

You don't get it. You're tackling the wrong people.

Try reading the posts where I answered this.

I've had to search. Apart from signing petitions, all I can see is that you contacted congressmen. Email? Snail mail? How many letters? How many exchanges of letters?

Feh - I could contact my local MP quite easily. I'd get fobbed off initially unless it was something that would get them votes. Only once you continue to contact them and make a pest of yourself will you get a result. Have you organised many people to write letters of protest, timed to arrive in the same week? Works for Amnesty.

What I can see is that you said, "Only two hundred people, not worth bothering'.

You quit.

You know, the one where I said I signed petitions, try to get other people involved, and vote. Really Raps, you spent pages and pages and pages arguing with me and the truly funny thing is you eventually admitted you do the same thing I do, only you don't even see telemarketers as human beings, but as playthings. I've always found hypocrisy amusing.

I gave them a chance to be smarter than me, which is more respect than you give them. You're quite happy to assume that they have no morals due to their job choice. Hypocrite? I've only said that I didn't abuse them. Toyed with them, sure, but abused? I bet I ended up on a few telesales workers diaries as ... interesting, but I never screamed and shouted at them. That's not hypocrisy.

So, how many more ways will you ignore the other questions I asked of you?

How many more times will you avoid the thought that maybe you could make a difference if you stood up and acted?

You'd prefer to type in large fonts and underline words on the Internet rather than do something to deal with it. You quit.

Rapscallion

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I'm not saying anyone should or shouldn't be nasty or abusive to telemarketers. I've said before on other threads, I don't have much sympathy for them. The ones that call me get whatever mood I'm in a the moment. Sometimes I'm not a bitch, sometimes I am. You take that chance when you call me.

However, anyone who thinks that being rude is what is getting results is pretty naive. It doens't matter how nasty or nice you are when you talk to them. Believe me, they speak to large numbers of both kinds, and most of them dont' give a damn. If results are to be got, you have to tell them, "Do not call me again." You can say it nasty or you can say it nice. But "you suck", "not interested" or "What are you wearing" don't get you put on the do not calll list.

Sadly, "Do not call me again" frequently does not work. But legally, that is what they have to hear before they are obligated to stop calling. And that is why I ask for paperwork.

[Rapscallion]

Oh, I never went creepy down the 'what are you wearing?' routine type. I was more creepy in the way of...

"Is that Mr Scallion?"

"Mrs, actually."

"?"

"The hormones have yet to affect my voice, but I have to live life as a woman for a year..."

I never went into the really creepy things - apologies for the confusion if such occurred. There are some limits to what I'll do, and it's all directed at myself.

Rapscallion

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Oh, no Raps, I wasn't thinking you did the "What are you wearing?" routine.

I was talking about myself. I've done it. To women.

I'm not above feeling a little prankish on occasion.

[Rapscallion]

I suddenly have a hankering for an MP3 for some reason.

Rapscallion

[Zyanya]

However, anyone who thinks that being rude is what is getting results is pretty naive. .

More like experienced. Interrupting and shouting over someone is considered rude, and sadly, that's often what it takes.

[Norton]

I just got a call with the copier toner scam.

I want to thank whoever it was that mentioned the scam in this thread. I had never heard of it before reading it here. As soon as the guy said "We were supposed to send you some cartridges..." I told him I was not interested and he hung up immediately.

I doubt the call would have gotten too far even if I had never heard of this particular scam (the fact that the call came from Los Angeles while I'm in NY was suspicious), but I'm glad I knew not to confirm any information with the guy, or else I might have had to end up dealing with repeated sales pitches, or unsolicited product followed up by invoices and debt collection letters.

What I wonder is, how did the guy get the info he needed to call me in the first place? He asked for me by my full name. I know I've purchased ink for the company once or twice using my personal debit card, but how someone knew my purchases and used them to track down the phone number for the office escapes me - and worries me a bit, as well. Anyone know how that works?

[The Shadow]

I wonder how I missed this one...

FINALLY...here in Canada we're about to get our own DNC list. It's about time!

http://canadianpress.google.com/arti...sMejOyweHdLVjQ

[tropicsgoddess]

I just got a call with the copier toner scam.

I want to thank whoever it was that mentioned the scam in this thread. I had never heard of it before reading it here. As soon as the guy said "We were supposed to send you some cartridges..." I told him I was not interested and he hung up immediately.

I doubt the call would have gotten too far even if I had never heard of this particular scam (the fact that the call came from Los Angeles while I'm in NY was suspicious), but I'm glad I knew not to confirm any information with the guy, or else I might have had to end up dealing with repeated sales pitches, or unsolicited product followed up by invoices and debt collection letters.

What I wonder is, how did the guy get the info he needed to call me in the first place? He asked for me by my full name. I know I've purchased ink for the company once or twice using my personal debit card, but how someone knew my purchases and used them to track down the phone number for the office escapes me - and worries me a bit, as well. Anyone know how that works?

Sometimes at home I get the calls to renew my auto warranty and the crazy thing is nobody in my house has a warranty on their cars (the cars are all older models). The really funny part was when I used to work at a Ford dealership as an Appointment Setter and I would get those calls on my work line! I'm not sure how they got the info either, but I just hang up once I hear the spiel (automated recording or not).