For the past week, we've been getting 3-4 calls a day on our land line from the same phone number: 1-646-467-6665. We have not answered any of the calls, letting it drop off to voicemail. A quick Googling turns up that the company using this number is a survey company, which apparently exempts them from the National Do Not Call List. Wouldn't surprise me if the call center is in India or some such, further isolating them from US telecom laws. My phone company charges a bloody fortune for Call Blocking, and some online reports stated that their telco's Call Blocking didn't work against that number anyway.

I've picked up a few such calls in the past and firmly but not terribly politely told them to take me off their list and never call again, but I've read a few stories online about how these particular guys keep calling anyway.

Their headquarters is apparently in New York City, and it just so happens I'll be in town next week. Maybe I should drop a stink bomb through their mail slot or something? But should I choose to take the high road, what's the best way that you all out there have dealt with persistently annoying telemarkers? Does complaining to the FCC and/or State Attorneys General (NY and CA) accomplish anything?

I propose we start a petition to make ALL numbers comply with the National Do Not Call List.

I've had pretty good success with saying "YOU have to stop calling ME right now. Don't call me again."

Even companies that I have a relationship with, like my credit card companies, give up. Heck, the political party that I belong to and gave money to (before I realized that means "bug me forever by phone") gave up.

---

call the number back, often it goes to an automated "if you would like to be removed from our list ...blah blah blah"

---

Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

Every once in a while I get a call from a survey company, and the last time (which was about a year ago), I actually made money by talking to them for a few minutes. Maybe you don't want to be too hasty. I did learn early on that it was usually easier to pick up the phone, say I wasn't interested, and complete the call; then the entire thing was over and done with in about 30 seconds. Also keep in mind that one survey company may actually be conducting surveys for a wide range of different businesses or organizations. Just because their number keeps popping up doesn't mean they're continually calling about the same thing.

It does often surprise me that some people put so much time and effort (and emotional energy) into trying to avoid something that could be dealt with in less than a minute.

Come on now - you got time o post here but no time to screw with a telemarketer !

Pick it up and and answer a couple questions and then tell them to hang on a minute and
lay the phone down ... pick up occasionally to assure you'll be right back (hope you have multiple lines

They'll wait forever thinking you will return

Or When you get to about question 5 ot 6 start shouting to your co workers
"Hey what were we supposed to answer for the question about <subject here>"

Start engaging the interviewer in conversation and redirect so they are not able to get answers

Tell them about this guy on MR that's training his cat to use the toilet

Come on - waste their time !

---

[www.youtube.com]

---

Quote
lafinfil
They'll wait forever thinking you will return

I've done that. Sometimes it makes them really angry in my experience.

Quote
lafinfil
Come on - waste their time !

Absolutely. If they keep calling after you have told them not to, they have no regard for you time. Why should you have any regard for theirs?

You can try the "Please hold" technique. Instead of pushing a hold button (if you have one), you can simply start doing your best imitation of Muzak. Every so often, interrupt yourself with "Your call is important to us. Please continue to hold." The hard part is keeping from laughing while being creative with your musical tunes.

>
> I've done that. Sometimes it makes them really angry in my experience
>

That's the point !

---

Quote
lafinfil
>
> I've done that. Sometimes it makes them really angry in my experience
>

That's the point !

Oh, I wasn't saying that its a bad thing.

What I have been thinking but I haven't tried it, is say something like "thank you for calling, may I have your full name and billing address please" when they ask, why explain that you charge $150 an hour for "consulting" with a minimum charge of one day and that by calling your number they have accepted your conditions ....

+1

Quote
lafinfil
Come on now - you got time o post here but no time to screw with a telemarketer !

Pick it up and and answer a couple questions and then tell them to hang on a minute and
lay the phone down ... pick up occasionally to assure you'll be right back (hope you have multiple lines

They'll wait forever thinking you will return

Or When you get to about question 5 ot 6 start shouting to your co workers
"Hey what were we supposed to answer for the question about <subject here>"

Start engaging the interviewer in conversation and redirect so they are not able to get answers

Tell them about this guy on MR that's training his cat to use the toilet

Come on - waste their time !

I ask them why they don't get a job that doesn't bother other people. After their response I tell them that I have put a curse on them such that they will have bad luck and pains in their back until they change jobs.

Every once in a while I get a call from a survey company, and the last time (which was about a year ago), I actually made money by talking to them for a few minutes. smiling smiley Maybe you don't want to be too hasty. I did learn early on that it was usually easier to pick up the phone, say I wasn't interested, and complete the call; then the entire thing was over and done with in about 30 seconds. Also keep in mind that one survey company may actually be conducting surveys for a wide range of different businesses or organizations. Just because their number keeps popping up doesn't mean they're continually calling about the same thing.

Good points.

Working for such a company and having to make those calls is really painful. I had to do some screening of potential respondents over the phone once, and found it excruciating. People don't always have the option to just "get a job that doesn't bother other people". Anyway, most research firms are doing mostly online surveys these days. I'm surprised that Silencio has been getting repeated calls.

I recently got a $40 Amazon certificate for taking a survey about inkjet printers. That was a very nice reward for a little of my time.

Quote
simonm
What I have been thinking but I haven't tried it, is say something like "thank you for calling, may I have your full name and billing address please" when they ask, why explain that you charge $150 an hour for "consulting"

I've done that. I interrupt their pitch and ask them "To whom should I send the bill?" When they ask what I am talking about, I explain that they have called the consulting number for my business (which they have actually) and that I charge for my time (which I do). I tell them that this number is for customers only and repeat nicely, "To whom should I send the bill?"

There is usually some back-and-forth since they really want to get their pitch across, but it effectively short circuits them. I conclude the call with "please take this number off of your call list."