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Fighting Telemarketers with Technology 561

Posted by michael from the if-only-the-etherkiller-worked-long-distance dept.
prostoalex writes "According to an MSNBC story, 104 million telemarketing calls are made daily in the U.S. alone and technology is on the way to fight those special offers and incredible credit card rates. Zenith EZ HangUp, The Phone Butler, TriVOX VN100 and ScreenMachine are quoted in the article as new gadgets that allow phone owners to avoid the plagues of telemarketing."
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Fighting Telemarketers with Technology More

Fighting Telemarketers with Technology

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  • don not call list (Score:5, Informative)

    by alexc ( 37361 ) <alexc@s[ ]ks.org ['por' in gap]> on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:18AM (#4415862)
    an effective CHEAP way of eliminating telemarketers is saying "PLEASE PUT ME ON YOUR DO NOT CALL LIST." By law, telemarketers are not allowed call ppl on this list. It has worked for me.

    • Re:don not call list (Score:4, Informative)

      by Surak ( 18578 ) <surak@LISPmailblocks.com minus language> on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:24AM (#4415893) Homepage Journal
      I worked for a telemarketer in the IT department. It depends on the state you're in. There is no federal law that I'm aware of requiring telemarketers to have a DNC (telemarketerspeak: DNC=Do Not Call list). Many states require telemarketers to have a DNC but some do not. So check with your state government if you're not sure.

      • Re:don not call list (Score:5, Informative)

        by dschuetz ( 10924 ) <(david) (at) (dasnet.org)> on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:39AM (#4415967)
        There is no federal law that I'm aware of requiring telemarketers to have a DNC (telemarketerspeak: DNC=Do Not Call list).

        There certainly is! And they're REQUIRED to put you on it IMMEDIATELY! (none of this "it'll take a few weeks to get your number into the list" BS).

        Of course, most of the calls we get today are either from organizations exempt from the laws (political candidates, banks or phone companies, surveys, charitable organizations), or they're simply recorded messages (which are, actually, illegal as well).

        I've got "put me on your do not call list immediately" as part of my answering machine message -- one of these days I'll start tracking the messages that people leave me and sue them for ignoring my request (if they can leave me a message with an automated machine, I can request to be put on the DNC with an automated message).

        Unfortunately, even having state-sponsored do not call lists won't help. As I've said before, laws are only as effective as their enforcement. Until we decide to actually give some police organization real authority to prosecute these people, unscrupulous telemarketers will just ignore whatever "opt-out" laws there are and call you, anyway. What have they got to lose? Maybe .01% of the people they piss off actually haul them to court, and half those cases they get out of on a technicality?

        Anyway, I'm rambling.

        So, yes, there is a federal law requiring telemarketers to maintain a "do not call" list, but telemarketers' adherence to the law is spotty, and consumers' recourse against people ignoring the law is cumbersome. So they prosper, and we fume.

        • Re:don not call list (Score:5, Informative)

          by kidlinux ( 2550 ) <duke AT spacebox DOT net> on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:17AM (#4416158) Homepage
          If you're in the US, I bet half (or more) of the calls you get are from Canada. I have several friends who were telemarketers for summer jobs, and they only called the states.
          The telemarketing companies may operate here because a) cheaper labour, and b) the laws in the US don't apply. But IANAL, so I could be wrong.

          I find the first link above rediculous because their DNC list requires a payment and subscription fee. I recall my friends saying that they have to provide instructions on how a person can be removed from telemarketing lists (or files, as they called them, I guess.) There was no charge for being removed from said files.
          • Yep.

            Chances are, you're getting called from Canada. I used to have it as a summer job before I got my big break in the United States. I hated it, and I was miserable pitching credit cards with a 29% APR to young 20-somethings and seniors, and cable packages from TCI/Qwest.

            I'd say that kidlinux has it nailed. Cheaper labor (although the one that I worked at paid $8.00 per hour, which for Ontario was actually pretty good three years ago) is the main reason - you get a lot of university/college kids who are desparate for summer jobs, and they hope that you'll continue doing it when the summer is over. However, the U.S. law DOES apply, furthermore, if I remember correctly, the company that we were doing the telemarketing for could be held liable if we screwed up. Interestingly enough, the place that I was working for, we observed American holidays. We didn't get July 1st (Canada Day) off, we got July 4th off instead. The company took some heat from the Ontario Department of Labor for that.

            Remember, when dealing with a telemarketer, be calm and collected. You yelling at us doesn't do you any good (I'll explain in a bit). The best way to get them to stop calling you is to explicitly ask, "Put me on your Do Not Call list". Saying, "Don't ever call here again" is NOT the same. You must explicitly say, "Put me on your Do Not Call list".

            There was one guy I was working with at that call center, and he used to LOVE it when the people he was calling got angry at him. Unless they said, "Put me on your Do Not Call list", he wouldn't (which he didn't have to do - I on the other hand was a bit more generous and would do so, even if they just asked me not to call them again). Since the dialing was done by computers, you could specify exact times that they called. The promotion that we were working on had very few callers (home mortgages, they wanted the "best sellers" on that one), so if you put up a fuss, he'd schedule a call back for 15 minutes later, and chances are, he'd get you again.

            -- Joe
        • In Missouri, we have a pretty effective no call list [state.mo.us]. We (the state) have made quite a bit of $$ of various telemarketers, including Miss Cleo (did you know she's not really Jamaican!?!?). And I've only gotten telemarking calls from the phone companies (naturally, there are still loopholes for them). If it's implemented right, a state-sponsored list goes a long way.

          ~LD

        • Re:don not call list (Score:4, Interesting)

          by BeBoxer ( 14448 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @09:33AM (#4416564)

          Unfortunately, even having state-sponsored do not call lists won't help. As I've said before, laws are only as effective as their enforcement.

          Actually, Colorado's new state-wide DNC list is working quite well. Since it went into effect in July, I belive I have gotten a total of 1 (one) telephone solicitation. Before, I was getting at least 3 or 4 a week. I had pretty much stopped answering the phone in the evening because the telemarketers were outcalling my friends and family by a significant margin. Keep in mind that I was scrupulous about telling every single company that called to put me on their DNC list. From what I could tell, it didn't make much of a dent. I tried to keep a list of the companies who called and when, but really only got a couple of repeat calls. There are so many companies doing telemarketing (and new ones every day) that per-company DNC lists are an exercise in futility.

          Colorado's law allows individuals to file suit in small claims court against companies who call in violation of the law. The state also provides a web site were you can file a complaint on-line with the State AG. So far, I know at least one personal suit has been filed (settled out of court) and the AG's office have notified several companies that they are in violation of the law. At last count, almost half the residential phone lines in the state were on the list!

          Say what you want, but at least here in Colorado the list is working quite well. Actually much better than I had hoped. Since I know that I can sue any telemarketer dumb enough to call, I actually sit around and hope that they will call. But they never do. :-)
        • Unfortunately, even having state-sponsored do not call lists won't help. As I've said before, laws are only as effective as their enforcement. Until we decide to actually give some police organization real authority to prosecute these people, unscrupulous telemarketers will just ignore whatever "opt-out" laws there are and call you, anyway. What have they got to lose? Maybe .01% of the people they piss off actually haul them to court, and half those cases they get out of on a technicality?

          I can tell you that where I worked, the DNC lists that we maintained were treated like gold. We had DAILY redundant backups, two copies of which were stored off-site. Every outgoing call was recorded so there would never be any doubt that someone wanted to be on the DNC.

          I was told that this was because of there very afraid of opt-out laws because of having been sued in the past.

          So if someone calls you back and you know you're on the DNC list, SUE 'EM! Take 'em to court and fry their ass! They'll never do it again, I can just about guarantee that. :)

      • Re:don not call list (Score:5, Informative)

        by Greyfox ( 87712 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:40AM (#4415970) Homepage Journal
        The FCC would seem to disagree. [fcc.gov]

      • Re:don not call list (Score:5, Informative)

        by Scutter ( 18425 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:43AM (#4415993) Journal
        What about the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-243 (1991), which amended Title II of the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq.)?

        No person or entity shall initiate any [junkbusters.com]
        telephone solicitation to a residential telephone subscriber

        1. before the hour of 8 A.M. or after 9 P.M. (local time at the called party's location), and

        2. unless such person or entity has instituted procedures for maintaining a list of persons who do not wish to receive telephone solicitations made by or on behalf of that person or entity.
    • Simple solution for those who live in the USA: Get a cell phone and ditch your land line.
      By law telemarketers can not call you on your cell phone. I've recieved one or two calls in the past, so it isn't 100%, but it's worth it.

  • Privacy Manager (Score:5, Informative)

    by Frank of Earth ( 126705 ) <frank AT fperkins DOT com> on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:18AM (#4415864) Homepage Journal
    I use my phone company's Privacy Manager [snet.com] feature. Since we started using it, we hardly get any spam calls anymore. It's definately worth the 4 bucks a month.

    • There are no telemarketers (Score:5, Funny)

      by Quila ( 201335 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:23AM (#4415887)
      All those calls were faked by the phone company for years so that you'd get pissed off enough to pay $4 more per month to make them stop.

    • Re:Privacy Manager (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Kamel Jockey ( 409856 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:24AM (#4415891) Homepage

      I use my phone company's Privacy Manager feature

      Isn't it funny how the same phone company which sold your number to everyone and his brother now charges you so that you don't receive calls from these guys?

      • Re:Privacy Manager (Score:5, Insightful)

        by michaelwb ( 612222 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:37AM (#4415956)

        I also like how the phone company charges you a monthly fee not be listed in the directory.

        Imagine if companies you did business with - charged you a monthly fee not to distribute your contact information!

        (Don't even get me started on how many phone companies still charge for touch-tone service each month, even though that is the standard now!)

        • If you just want the privacy of an unlisted number (so people can't look you up to bug you), most phone companies will put your phone number under any name you want. Just tell them to put your name as John Doe. It won't cut down on the telemarketers, but if you ever get a call for John Doe, you could instantly hang up. Plus it saves you a buck or two a month.

          Or just get a cellphone.
          • I worked for a market research company. Our company would pick the area code and first 3 didgits of the phone numbers in the area we wanted to research, then our computers would randomly pick the last four digits. If you are unlisted or on a list, it doesn't matter. It is random. When I called someone who was unlisted it always puzzled the hell out of them how I got the number.


        • Just an FYI:


          Inline Plus [swbell.com] is an 'insurance policy' the phone company will always try to sell you (monthly fee of $3.95 or so). It's supposed to 'protect' you in case your wiring fails inside your house and needs to be repaired by the phone company. If you are a renter, then there's no risk of you bearing the expense of fixing telephone wiring, so there's NO NEED for inline plus. If you are a home-owner, it's highly unlikely that you'll encounter a (phone) wiring problem you can't fix yourself.

          When you sign up for phone service, the salesperson will inevitably automatically [swbell.com] add this to the list of services regardless of if they ask you if you want it or not. When I realized what this was about after 10 months of paying for it, I called up customer service and told them to remove it from my account and that I had never authorized it. They refunded me my BACK CHARGES for inLine Plus. It was like $40 or so.
          • Sometimes this is useful!

            I live in a desert area that has lots of pack rats. These critters love to eat the phone wire insulation, and are quite adept at getting into my attic and walls and doing so.

            I have thus had the phone company out several times to repair the wiring. Having previously done it myself, and also having paid someone else to do so, in this case the insurance is worth it.

            I am trying to keep the rats out. If after some months my attick remains pack rat free, I will probably cancel the insurance.

    • Re:Privacy Manager (Score:5, Interesting)

      by dochood ( 614876 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:33AM (#4415934)
      I've used this service, too, and it works great!

      We used to get calls from "Out of Area" where you would pick up, you could hear the heavy breathing (and the telemarketers in the background), and then they'd hang up. This would happen 3-4 times a day, besides the other telemarketing calls.

      However, my in-laws in Korea got really ticked with the thing, because it took them forever to figure out how to record their names, and when they did, it always added another 4-5 minutes to their call! I tried to explain how to use the direct dial code, but that didn't work too well, either (it's 10 digits!... mess it up, and you got to do it all over again)

      So, when AG Jay Nixon of MO got a law passed that requires telemarketers to sign up for no-call lists, I tried it out. Recently, I turned off the screening service, and I still get one telemarketing call per week or so. Perhaps my number just automatically left the lists because the service was on so long, or maybe folks really are obeying the law. (Miss Cleo got socked with several thousand dollars in fines recently for disobeying this law.... too bad she didn't see it coming!)

    • So you pay for your right to be left alone. So USA.
    • should'nt that be free?

    • Re:Privacy Manager (Score:5, Informative)

      by mosch ( 204 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:58AM (#4416354) Homepage
      I've found that using the Junkbusters anti-telemarketing script [junkbusters.com] helps quite a bit as well. It's a little bit annoying for the first few weeks, but after that, the calls drop off quite dramatically.

  • Easy fix (Score:4, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:18AM (#4415865)
    I didnt read the article, but you could insert the first tone of a telecom's disconnected line signal on your answering machine, and automated systems will delist you.

    • Re:Easy fix (Score:3, Interesting)

      by RobinH ( 124750 )
      That's how this Telezapper [telezapper.com] works.

    • Re:Easy fix (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Punk Walrus ( 582794 )
      Okay, I used to program call centers, and I really don't think this Telezapper works, unless they have MAJORLY changed hardware and software since 1998. This is how telemarketing was done:

      - Autodialer dials number from read-only database
      - Upon pickup, it picks the next available agent, your info shows up on their computer terminal via application bridge from the switch to a computer on the LAN.
      - If you hang up, agent gets dialtone, and they hit a button to flag they are available for the next call

      I don't care what signal you send to the switch, your number is in a read-only computer database that automates the dialer, not some dynamic read-write database. I mean, think of the security holes in that model! And if you made such a model, then you lose phone numbers, which means less calling stats, and lower numbers. Or some angry hax0r could break in, and program a number of someone they don't like in there (how often I realized I could get back at my enemies by putting them on the autodialer, they'd get a "out of area" call every 10-25 minutes).

      When you ask to be put on the "do not call list" then flag the number to be removed from the database, but that has to be done manually. Another thing is that a lot of the products and "companies" that call you are really a huge call center pool in Podunk, Wisconsin (where land and labor are cheap), that isn't really the company. Like say ABC Mortgage calls you to get a second mortgage. That's not ABC Mortgage calling you, but a call center they contracted to do dialing for them in return for a promised percentage of sales.

      Another sneaky, low-down-dirty trick used against you is that the following companies sell your number: Dominos, Pizza Hut, and other delivery places. They trace your number via CallerID and they have your address....

      I pay for an unlisted number, but sure enough, within a year, I got telemarketers (someone who was housesitting ordered a Pizza). When I am "forced" to give phone numbers (by contests and whatnot), I give my fax/modem line. From time to time, when I am not on the modem, I see the "ring" light go on and off (we have the fax at a silent ring). I can't imagine how many people have called that number.

      ________________________________________________ __ __
      www.punkwalrus.com - Incomplete sentences can be
      • Okay, I used to program call centers

        Ah. So it's all *your* fault then.

        Thanks so much.
        GMFTatsujin

        • Re:Easy fix (Score:3, Insightful)

          by pjrc ( 134994 )
          >Okay, I used to program call centers

          Ah. So it's all *your* fault then.

          It's really the fault of all those suckers who buy the damn products. If only they would stop buying, we could all live in peace and queit at dinner time.

          While I'm ranting, I'd really like to find those bastards who believe email that promises they can get rich quick, magically lose weight, get a loan with bad credit, etc.

          If only we could find and punish this tiny group of people, the rest of us would all benefit.

      • Re:Easy fix (Score:3, Informative)

        by sehryan ( 412731 )
        Autodialer dials number from read-only database

        The database is read only for the most part from the agent point of view. However, there is a field at the end of each record that states the last disposition of that number. When the dialer (or an agent) hears the disconnected tone, the dialer adds its code for DISCONNECTED to that field for the record (usually some string of numbers, a la 404 for web).

        Upon pickup, it picks the next available agent, your info shows up on their computer terminal via application bridge from the switch to a computer on the LAN.

        The dialer is smart enough to recognize an answering machine, busy, all kinds of different things, including a live human voice. The amount of busies, disconnected or answering machines that get through to the agent is minimal. Otherwise you are paying your agent to do what your expensive dialer should be doing.

        If you hang up, agent gets dialtone, and they hit a button to flag they are available for the next call

        At this point, its up to the dialer admin what will happen to that number. He would have programmed the dialer's reactions to the codes when building the campaign. Usually that means deciding how long you are going to keep a number that is continually marked as busy or answering machine in the loop. We usually marked them out after 6 tries.

        DNCs do have to be flagged manually, but thats only so that if the number slips into another campaign, the dialer filters it out. Assuming your admin has coded DNCs right, they shouldn't be called again within that campaign, and won't be called again by that dialer once he adds them to the master DNC list.

        So in the end, TeleZapper can work.

  • That's great, but... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Runny ( 613231 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:19AM (#4415868)
    Does it work for my mother-in-law?

  • Here's another idea (Score:3, Interesting)

    by jukal ( 523582 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:21AM (#4415882) Journal
    for mobile phones. Program an application (for Symbian based phones for example) - that upon call connects to a database with black list of phonenumbers (==telemarketers) and hangs up if the incoming number matches.

    Maybe this idea is already included in those that the story linked to. Dunno, I did not bother to check them :) Anyway, this should be done under open source and using a community method to build the black-list database. It should be very simple. Once ready, submit your solution to openchallenge [openchallenge.org]

    Ofcourse, there's still a problem with those who call from a *hidden* number.

    • I have NEVER received a call from a telemarketer that wasn't a hidden number.
      • > I have NEVER received a call from a telemarketer that wasn't a hidden number.

        Hmm - where are you from? I think here in Finland still the majority of telemarketers call using visible numbers - and telemarketing is not as big plague in here as in US for example, I think. Anyway, this knowledge is based on very limited empirical study :)))

      • It's usually the case that someone who calls you and withholds their number does so for some scummy reason. My mobile doesn't even ring for these calls, and if it did I wouldn't answer them... I'm in the UK, not sure if this would be feesible in the US (don't you have lots of "standards" and incompatibilities between the cellphone companies?)
    • > upon call connects to a database with black list of phonenumbers
      > (==telemarketers) and hangs up if the incoming number matches.

      On second thought, that would be utterly stupid. Why not just keep an up-to-date copy on the terminal device and update regularlty only the diff.

  • It's simple (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ChicagoFan ( 125489 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:22AM (#4415883)
    How to avoid telemarketers:

    Requirements: 1 answering machine

    Turn the answering machine on, but set it so that you can hear the messages people are leaving. Then, screen every call. Period. If people start to leave a message, and it's a message you want, pick up the phone.

    Let people who you want to talk to, know that you screen your calls for this reason, so that they will leave a message.

    You are under no obligation to pick up the phone. Ever. Don't do it unless the call actually matters to you. And even if it does, but you're busy at the moment, let the machine take the call and you can call back later.

    The phone is there to serve you, not the other way around. I have let someone leave a message, just because I was in the coding zone at that moment, or enjoying an ice cream cone, or even awake-but-trying-to-nap, and didn't feel like picking up the phone. So I didn't.

    ChicagoFan

    • Re:It's simple (Score:5, Insightful)

      by ergo98 ( 9391 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:37AM (#4415949) Homepage Journal
      Turn the answering machine on, but set it so that you can hear the messages people are leaving. Then, screen every call. Period. If people start to leave a message, and it's a message you want, pick up the phone.

      Just so you know, most people ABSOLUTELY HATE THIS: If you made me listen through your bloody inane message, then give me the courtesy of leaving the message that I've already thought through and am in the process of leaving as you stumble on the phone, blessing me with the sacred pick-up. If you want to screen calls use call display, but it's considered incredibly rude to overtly screen calls by making people do the lame ass "Hello? Hello? You there...it's me". On the flip side, now I have to deal with people leaving messages on my real answering machine (not used to screen, but rather when I'm not answering the phone) always starting it off with 30 seconds of pleads for me to pick up. Grrr.

      However, I otherwise agree with your philosophy: Many people have been brought up to consider the phone some god like communication device for which everything else must be dropped.

    • Tyranny of the ring- Don't pick it up! (Score:4, Insightful)

      by mekkab ( 133181 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @09:41AM (#4416603) Homepage Journal
      Chicago fan is RIGHT on the money with this one.
      I'm not gonna go into a mini-rant about how we interrupt EVERYTHING for the phone and have become slaves to communication technology, cuz I don't believe it.

      But if it REALLY bugs you you can screen your calls. Have a very short Outgoing Message.

      My parents do this, My wife does this, I sometimes do this (or I'll just wait 3 rings and pick up- usually those multi-calls just drop the trunk when they get someone ELSE to pick up!)I don't need the WAshington Post to call me up on a sunday morning, twice, when I already get 7 day service! Infact I won't even answer a doorbell ring if I'm not expecting anyone.

      But mekka b! What if it is your long lost friend and they had an accident just down the road in in their last dying breath they crawled to your door?
      Hmmm, possible, but not probable. More probably, it is some schmuck trying to sell me something door to door. Empirical evidence states that you are probably someone who I don't want to waste my time on becuase I can't bill my lost time to your account. Fuck off.

      But for some reason many (like the guy before me) will SLAM you for how inconsiderate it is to force him to suffer through your message! Well I got news for you buddy, if you don't want to listen to the machine, don't leave a message and don't call. I'm not crying over it.

      Besides, if you want instant communication, send me an e-mail! I'm always on line!

  • Oh dear... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Komrade S. ( 604620 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:22AM (#4415885) Homepage

    "The Phone Butler takes over, delivers his legally-correct message in a very polite, British-butler's voice, then terminates the call automatically when he is done!"

    I'm not sure if I'd even wish that upon a tele-marketer...

    • Re:Oh dear... (Score:3, Funny)

      by Draoi ( 99421 )
      And from their site;

      This "mini-computer" uses state-of-the art technology

      A mini-computer - wow! Can you imagine how much power that thing must draw? Cutting-edge technology ...

  • Don't answer the phone... (Score:4, Funny)

    by Ridge ( 37884 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:24AM (#4415890)
    I just don't answer the phone. I have a handy device known as an "answering machine." This device answers the phone on my behalf and allows me to hear what the other party has to say. I then can decide if I want to take call. I call this process "screening my calls." I've found it to be most useful. Previously, I received numerous wrong number calls, or worse, telemarketers. I've found that very rarely do telemarketers talk to my wonderous machine. However, when they do, I've found it effective to quickly "answer and hang up."

    I've already applied for a patent on the "answering machine", the "screening calls" process, and the "answer and hang up" process. If you infringe on my patents expect numerous calls from lawyers...

  • MY High-Tech solution (Score:3, Interesting)

    by BrK ( 39585 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:24AM (#4415894) Homepage
    I use a Stargate [jdstechnologies.com] to handle my incoming calls. I can filter on any CallerID string, including Private and Unavailable numbers, and play a custom outgoing message, based on the time of day, day of week, CID, temperature outside, etc.

    Telemarketers and other nusance callers get a SIT tone, a "DO NOT CALL THIS NUMBER" message, and then a click.

    On sundays, the custom filters are disabled (telemarketers legally can't call on Sundays).

    You can find .WAV files of SIT tones on the 'net, just adding the "disconnected number" tones to the beginning of your answering machine message will accomplish the same thing that many of the $40 gadgets do.
  • While it still annoys me to check and see calls from "Unavailable", you can't beat caller ID, since none of the telescammers ever call with their real ID/phone number. Without caller ID I would have to go back to my old technique of using the air horn on em when they called (which tended to annoy my neighbors at 9pm). And still to this day I have yet to get one of them to give me their supervisors home number, so I could bug him/her while they are eating dinner to discuss my athletes foot problem.
    • While it still annoys me to check and see calls from "Unavailable", you can't beat caller ID, since none of the telescammers ever call with their real ID/phone number.

      Actually you can beat caller ID blocking but only if you have the right type of line.

      When caller ID was introduced for residential customers there was an immediate outcry over its abuse by telemarketers. So the telcos and the FCC conspired to set up a scheme to allow the abuse to continue while claiming there was an opt out.

      Commercial services can access a caller-ID service called AIN. 800 numbers use AIN to decide whether to take a call. AIN is not affected by caller ID blocking.

      What we need is to hold the politicians feet to the fire, stop them taking the bribes from the telemarketer industry and demand that they serve us.

      The current bogus 'opt-out' for caller ID is actually a benefit for telescum. If only telemarketers and crank callers used caller id blocking we could use it to block telemarketers. The problem is that the telemarketers have conned people into providing them with camoflage, I don't know if a blocked number is from a telemarketer or someone who thinks blocking might hinder telemarketers.

      Another problem with caller id blocking is that it only seems to work for the telemarketers. I get calls from people who think they have blocking all the time and their caller id shows up on the phone. The FCC shills have probably agreed with the telemarketer scum that you have to repeat the request to opt out every year. Also the system does not differentiate blocked numbers from numbers comming from non caller id exchanges, like foreign calls.

  • Bloody Telemarketers (Score:5, Informative)

    by T-Kir ( 597145 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:25AM (#4415897) Homepage

    My brother & family moved into a nice new house last year... and as soon as the phone was set up, BANG! Telemarketers left right and bloody center.

    He ended up installing this system (I'm not there so I couldn't tell you what it is) that will reroute all calls without Caller ID to an automated system so calls can be screened, callers have to give their name or business name and then the system literally calls the house itself to say "person or company x" is calling.

    The number of telemarketing calls went through the floor, mainly because most didn't want to go through the screening check. They get the odd call now and then, but mostly by those who do persevere with the screening system or those that have valid Caller ID tags.

    Originally he did have the system completely rejecting calls without ID, but since the rest of the family live in England, there isn't any ID transmitted - so we couldn't get through for a while, until we got a call from him wondering why WE hadn't called!! DOH!

  • Opt-in vs. opt-out (Score:3, Informative)

    by e8johan ( 605347 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:26AM (#4415901) Homepage Journal
    It is really silly that you need to opt-out to try to get away (and you still get calls even then). If there would be an opt-in it would probably kill off the whole telemarketing business, which I feel would be a good thing.

    This problem is just as bad as spam, fax-spamming and all other broad adverticement methods. I wish that one day you would not get more ads than you ask for (i.e. 2-5% of todays load of shit).

    For you people living in Sweden I would like to mention the Nix register [www.nix.nu], it is the Swedish opt-out register.

  • I Haven't Had a Telemarketing Call... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Greyfox ( 87712 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:29AM (#4415921) Homepage Journal
    Since I had Qwest enable an anti-marketing feature they sell. Basically if the call would be "Unknown" on my caller ID box, the person calling gets a message that this line does not accept phone solicitations and if they're not a telemarketer, please dial their number now. It even seems to have worked for the Qwest telemarketers. Of course, that's an extra buck or two on the phone bill each month, but I've gone from 5-10 telemarketing calls a week to 0. Once my spam load gets obnoxiously high, I'll be implementing a similar solution for that.

  • Why? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Mr_Silver ( 213637 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:36AM (#4415946)
    Okay, granted the UK isn't quite the same size as the US, but I've only ever had about 4 calls from marketeers in my whole life (and they were generally to do with double glazing).

    Would I be right in assuming that it's a side effect of the free local calls you guys get? Whilst the whole idea sounds rather tempting it just seems like you have a lot of hassles and issues with the whole system - especially when it's possible to buy 6 or 7 different call screening devices!

    Ps. the English accent [phonebutler.com] on the Phone Butler really made me laugh :o)

    • Re:Why? (Score:2, Informative)

      by jhunsake ( 81920 )
      "Would I be right in assuming that it's a side effect of the free local calls you guys get?"

      No, most telemarketers call from out of state. They do however get deals from the long distance companies.
  • If they show up an unknown, I let it roll to the answering machine. If it is someone I know, I just call them back or send an email. Everyone now and again, I will pick up and ask to go on the "Don't Call" list. We are down to one TeleMarketer a week now.

    I hate phones. They are the spawn of Satan. If you have something to say, use email. I guess part of it is coming from a corporate culture. In the corporate world, some people don't like email because it leaves evidence of their incompetence.

    But I digress...........

  • Seems to me... (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Mascot ( 120795 )
    the best way would be to simply abolish it by law. I live in Norway, and there's a central registry where I can decide whether I wish to allow advertising via mail/email/phone. Companies are bound by law to match their lists of "targets" to the exclusion list to ensure they aren't violating anybody's selected preference.

    To not totally swamp the companies, they're only required to reverify once every 3 months, thus it may take as much as 3 months before you stop getting ads. But by golly, if you reserve yourself against all forms, you get zip. Nothing. Zero. Nada. Empty mailbox (not counting bills, unfortunately). No unsolicited phonecalls.
  • I just hope they won't try to sell me one by spamming my mailbox to its limit ;-)

  • Do not call Registries (Score:3, Informative)

    by Trashman ( 3003 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:42AM (#4415986)
    Someone pointed out that there is no Federal "Do not Call Registry". However, Some States do have them. Find your state and Sign up. [the-dma.org]
  • Tennessee passed a Do Not Call law some years back. The state maintains a Do Not Call list, which is free to join. By state law telemarketers must abide by it, with stiff penalties if they don't. I signed up and have had zero telemarketers call since. That was about 2 years ago. Any other states (or other countries, for those outside the USA) have anything similar?

  • Ever tried audio caller id? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by dmorin ( 25609 ) <dmorin@nOSPaM.gmail.com> on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:43AM (#4415996) Homepage Journal
    I love this feature of my phone. I can attach sound bytes to known numbers, so that when the phone rings and we're at dinner the phone might say "It's my parents!" and we know whether or not to get it. MUCH better than standard caller id where you have to get up anyway and go look at the box to see who it is. If the phone doesn't tell me who it is (top 10 most important callers), then we just don't answer it. Not to mention if it's my wife's parents then I don't have to get up. :) Who was it that asked for a mother-in-law screener?

    Plus, the machine also has a feature to send caller-id-blocked numbers right to voice mail (after a special message). The neat thing is listening to the different kinds of response -- some hang up during the "Your number is being sent to voice mail..." which tells me that it's a human calling. Some wait through the message, and then there's a pause, and then a click and a dial tone, which suggests to me that it's a machine that waited a certain amount of time and then gave up.

  • Don't do it with an automated gaget (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Sc00ter ( 99550 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:43AM (#4415999) Homepage
    It's been said before, but ask to be put on a do-not-call list. Keep track, and if they call you back, SUE!

    You don't think you can get money from these scumbags? Think again. Friend of mine has gotten $1500 (if not more). See here: http://osiris.978.org/~brianr/telemarketing/ [978.org]

    Most of the time they're in another state and it's far more expensive for them to send somebody to represent them in small claims court then it is to just pay you the $500.

  • My low-tech solution. First, an unlisted phone number has proven to be cheap and effective. Second, write to the DMA to opt-out.

    Telephone Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P. O. Box 9014, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014

    More tips at Junkbusters. [junkbusters.com] Now we tend only to get long distance phone company calls.

  • I work for a group of public libraries that uses a computer to call and say "Someone at this telephone number" -- we won't say who, because if you use a public library we consider it your own damn business -- "has an item waiting to be picked up at the So-and-So Public Library".

    Unfortunately, if you use one of those gadgets that sends a "this number has been disconnected" message, the library's computer takes that at face value. You miss picking up the book, and then the library staff asks you to verify your phone number the next time you're there.

    So, yeah, it works, but sometimes a little too well.

  • You guys are missing out! (Score:3, Funny)

    by somethingwicked ( 260651 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:48AM (#4416024)
    Really, on a boring night, it really can be a slightly entertaining trying to sell a telemarketer something YOU own.

    Thing is, you have to really push it and not make it sound like a joke. When they scoff and give a laughing no to buying your Miata, use their tactics: Don't take no for an answer, incredulously ask why they would be interested in being a cool person with a cool car, ask where they live, how nice it would be to drive a convertible around, etc.

    You'll run THEM off the phone in no time.

  • I have a cell phone (Score:3, Insightful)

    by wiredog ( 43288 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:49AM (#4416028) Journal
    So far, telemarketers haven't started calling it. Everyone who is likely to call me knows that number. I have the ringer turned off on the landline, and just check the answering machine every evening. The only reason I have a landline is for 911 service.
    • Telemarketing calls to cell phones are illegal.
    • I've heard that it's actually illegal to make telemarketing calls to a cell phone. Something about how you are paying for the call. In fact, I've received one spam call on my cell phone, and as soon as I said the magic words "cell phone", they apologized profusely and hung up.
      --
    • Then you should cancel your phone service. If you have a landline connected to your house/apartment/etc. there are typically 2 phone numbers you can still call. The phone company that owns the line, and 911 (at least that's been true in the RTP area of NC).

      Back in my college/grad school days, I moved every few months, and I always called the phone company to set up service from the new apartment itself. The poor phone reps got so confused when I told them that I was calling from my apartment to set up service at my apartment. Apparently, no one told them that this would actually work.

  • Why it's good to live in PA (Score:5, Interesting)

    by plazman30 ( 531348 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:53AM (#4416045) Homepage
    Pennsylvania recently passed the "No Calls Please" law, where, if you register with the state, you are added to a do not call list and Telemarketers have to download the list and remove you from their database if you're on it. Adding yourself to the list is free!
    When a telemarketer actually does call me, I explain to them about the law. A lot of telemarketers actually tell me they don't believe me. I then ask to speak the supervisor on duty because I need to get the companies name and address in order to report them to my attorney general so they can be fined $5000 for disturbing me. They usually hang up real fast and don't bother me any more.

    What we really need is an active law NO ONE in PA can receive telemarketing calls unless they ADD themselves to a list.

  • Excuse me... Are you paying for this?? (Score:3, Informative)

    by nordicfrost ( 118437 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @07:56AM (#4416058)
    I often compare living in teh US to living here in Norway, Europe. It seems that we can learn a lot from each other, this time it is your turn to learn... ;)

    So. WHAT?!?! Are paying for hardware and services to stop telemarketeers? Aren't they obliged by law to check if your name is on a do-not-call list? A friend of mine in the US said that he had to pay to be on a do-not-call list, operated by the telemarketeers association. That is nothing short of insane. Paying people to not bother me? Hello; it's not very difficult to operate such lists.

    I'm on the Norwegian goverments do-not-call list. There are three levels: 1) Any call accepted. 2) Commercial calls not allowed. 3) Neither commercial nor charitable calls allowed.

    I'm already a member of the chartiable orgs i want to, so my do-not-call entry lists me as option 3. This is a free system, no fees. Any company that calls you even though you're on the list will face fines if you turn them in to the Consumer Council.

    I think this system is

  • I'll put this one in the public domain, so as we can all benefit from it:

    If you're in the mood, answer the phone. Answer with your name, e.g., "This is Doug." If there is a pause, or the person on the other end says, "May I speak with Mr. X", they are a telemarketer (in all likelihood). The pause is a dead giveaway, and asking for me by last name means they don't know who I am.

    At this point, hang up the phone. No need to be polite and try to reason your way out of the call. Really. It's okay. These are professional telemarketers. This kind of rejection rolls off their back like water on a duck (Simpson's, Daryl Strawberry anyone?).

    If the call really was legitimate, they'll be calling back, although I haven't had a false positive using this technique yet.

    This technique is licensed under the GPL.

    Giddy Up.

  • with a machete or an ax

  • Telephone / Mail / Fax Preference Services (Score:3, Informative)

    by Martin Spamer ( 244245 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:02AM (#4416085) Homepage Journal
    In the UK, you can register on-line with the Telephone Preference Service to avoid telemarketing calls.

    http://www.tpsonline.org.uk

    Similar services exist for Snail Mail

    http://www.mpsonline.org.uk

    and Fax.

    http://www.fpsonline.org.uk/

    The Data Protection register monitors these, and operates enforcement, so you can expect good results.

  • Surely we can do better than this? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by shic ( 309152 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:03AM (#4416087)
    I would like to see a more high tech version of this running on a PC. I think it would be liberating to press a button and have an Eliza-like program take over the call from my end. Initially, it could ask the telemarketers to repeat everything several times... then play dumb for a while - asking for things to be repeated in more and more depth - then present an automated sales pitch for some ludicrous randomly chosen product - finally thanking the company for an amusing conversation - and hanging up. I think this would be a particularly effective anti-scam as a result of the way in which I suspect many call centres are run - I understand that those making the calls are required to be polite at all times and are frequently are required to follow strict rules about how they must direct conversations and answer questions. I'm having fun ideas about stock phrases like - "Very interesting - but I'm afraid I was distracted by my next door neighbours' cat - please could you repeat all that" on a rule where the caller has spoken for over 3 minutes. "I'm very interested in this idea - please would you wait while I get a pen I'm back again - what was it we were talking about again?" "Can you explain to me what you meant by that first bit again?" (The possibilities are only limited by our imagination :-)

  • Comment removed (Score:3, Informative)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:07AM (#4416103)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • In six months of being on the New York State Do Not Call List [nynocall.com] I've found it quite affective, especially against AT&T cellular, which was calling at least every week despite being asked every time to take me off their list. You'd think a phone company would know federal law on this? Naturally I will NEVER buy anything from AT&T - and urge you not to either. Meanwhile, this is one gov. program NYS actually runs well - perhaps the only one.
  • Here's something to think about- maybe someone with a bit more time on their hands could tackle this problem and make a mint.
    911 calls can not be blocked by the *67 code- your number will always show up, 800 numbers also always show the caller's number.
    So what is it with the caller ID program on my cell phone, or the call ID box that my mother has that listens to the PRIVATE / BLOCKED code, and why can't it be reprogrammed to just show the caller's number always.

  • Fighting Telemarketers (Score:3, Informative)

    by Larkfellow ( 265776 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:09AM (#4416112) Homepage
    I used to work as a telemarketer in the past (Don't mod me down because I needed a job...) and I've learned a few tricks to beat telemarketers.

    Do Not Call Lists: All telemarketing centers have a Do Not Call list. Two of them in fact. The first is required by law for the center to remove you from their calling list if you say the words "Put me on your do not call list" This information is entered by the telemarketer into the system and your name is then removed from the system for that Company.

    In many cases, A center will have multiple Companies that they do calling for. Requesting to be placed on the "Coperate Do Not Call List" will not only remove you from the list the telemarketer is calling for, but also any other company that the center does any telemarketing for at that time and in the future. That will help in making sure that the center does not call again in the future (Next time, try asking the telemarketer who they actually work for, usually it's not the one they're calling on behalf of.)

    As Well, in the United States, you as a consumer are protected by the "Telephone Consumer's Protection Act" (TCPA), which requires the telemarketer to give you the company name and telephone number where you can reach them. If they fail to do so at the end of the call (IE, if they think you hang up, and just don't say it even to dead air), then you have the right to sue the company for up to $10,000. Not all states fall under the same rules, so check out here for more info on it [fcc.gov]

    Some states also have what's call a no rebutal law, which should prevent the telemarketer from rebuting you (ie. saying "I understand your hesitation but..."), when you say "No" they have to end the call there. Check out your state laws to find out if you fall in this category as well.
  • that we have to *buy* a device to get rid of an inconsiderate business practice.

    Seems to me if we had legislators with ANY backbone whatsoever this practice would not be allowed. I find it hard to believe that the american public actually WANTS telemarketing.

  • Getting rid of them (Score:5, Funny)

    by hoagieslapper ( 593527 ) <hoagieslapper@gmail.com> on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:13AM (#4416131)
    The best way to get rid of telemarketers? Tell them a joke.

    You "What has a small penis and hangs up side down?"
    Them "I don't know"
    You "A bat. What has a big penis and hangs up?"
    Them "I don't know"
    You *click*

    Since doing that our telemarketing calls drop dramaticly.

  • Don't use land lines! (Score:3, Insightful)

    by NineNine ( 235196 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:13AM (#4416133)
    Why are people still even using land lines? Cell phones are cheaper than land lines in most cases now. All I use my home phone for is for dialing out to the Net. I have no telephones connected to it at home, thus, no telemarketers.

  • A Quick Summary of These and Other Solutions (Score:5, Interesting)

    by dschuetz ( 10924 ) <(david) (at) (dasnet.org)> on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:17AM (#4416157)
    Okay, I've glanced at the boxes in the article, and here's a quick run-down of what they look like, and why they still don't solve all the problems:
    • EZ Hangup - an annual-fee "opt-out" list, and a single-point device that tells telemarketers to fuck off
    • The Phone Butler - a device that lets you, from any phone in the house, tell telemarketers to "piss off" (British accent, donchaknow)
    • TriVOX - call screening device that requests callers to enter a code to "ring through" to the hosue
    • Screen Machine - not quite sure, looks similar to TriVOX. The linked site (and the manufacturer's site) are pretty skimpy on info.
    These are not, of course, the only solutions to the problem. Some other approaches (discussed here and elsewhere):
    • Do Not Call Lists - State, Federal, Industry, and Company-specific -- a list of numbers wishing to be left alone
    • Interrupt tone generators - The idea is to generate the "booo-dee-dweep" sort of sound you get when you call a number that's out of service, and the belief is that telemarketer dialers will hear that and remove your number from their DB. Nobody knows how many call-generating systems actually do this (it's probably a small number).
    • Call Screening with an Answering Machine - you still have to run downstairs to listen to the machine, and many telemarketers will just hang up and try again later
    • Caller-ID Rejection - Most telemarkters don't pass CID information (thanks, FCC, for dropping that requirement!), some legitimate organizations (some college dorms, for example) don't pass the info, and other telemarketers deliberately pass "appealing" names to entice you to answer.
    And what list of potential solutions would be complete without a list of why they all suck?
    1. Opt-Out Systems - They still have to call you once so you can tell them to leave you alone. Not all telemarketers follow the rules, and fighting back is difficult. Not all telemarketers are even bound by the rules (there are a lot of exceptions). Not all subscribe to industry-based lists (like the Direct Marketing Association). Proposed national Federal "opt-out" lists are riddled with exceptions, too, and still rely on callers actually bothering to obey the law. It's difficult to tell a recorded message (illegal, by the way) to place you on a do not call list.
    2. CID, Interrupt tones, answering machine screening, etc. - discussed above
    3. EZ Hangup - see #1, plus you gotta run to the phone where the EZ Hangup box lives
    4. Phone Butler - see #1
    5. TriVOX - Would be nice to have the ability to manually place numbers on the system so that friends, family, etc., calling from recognizable numbers can ring straight through
    6. Screen Machine - ??? Probably similar to #5.
    Of all these possible solutions, the TriVOX comes closest to what I've been hoping to find for about the last 10 years. The ideal solution, for me, would be:
    • Hardware solution that sits in my basement, between the outside world and all my inside extensions
    • Connects to a computer for inbound CID logging and configuration (including setup of whitelist and blacklist phone numbers)
    • Passes whitelist numbers straight through to internal extensions
    • Blocks blacklist numbers immediately with "do not call" request
    • Interrupts unrecognized numbers, before ringing inside the house, with user-recorded announcement giving callers the option to "hit 1" to ring through.
    • Tone-sensor to allow any extension in the house to interrupt a caller who has rung through and is still a telemarketer (ala Phone Butler)
    • (optional): capability to do multi-extension ringing ("hit 1 for david") or multi-mailbox voicemail (extra credit: record voicemail to computer and make available for software to include in email or web interface)
    I've always thought that this would make a great open source hardware project -- complex enough that it doesn't already exist, simple enough to be within the reach of hobbyist hackers.

    Like I said, the TriVOX comes VERY close to this, but is missing some key features (like the ability to whitelist friends and family). It is, however, very encouraging that we're finally getting close to being able to truly solve the problem. At least as well as can ever be done.

    • Very neatly put (Score:3, Informative)

      by sbeitzel ( 33479 )
      The system you describe is something I'd like, too. Now, a quick Google search led me to look at Zeus Phonstuff over here [callerid.com]. The price of this particular model is USD 249, but the device provides you a simple interface from caller ID box to PC (via serial cable). From there, doing the matching of the number against a database (perhaps even a shared database, much like spam blacklists) shouldn't be difficult. I just glanced through the online manual for this 2 line unit and it says that that unit doesn't do blocking (but this suggests that the 4 line unit does, since the switch is present, just not selectable).

  • Another angle not often considered (Score:4, Insightful)

    by fishbowl ( 7759 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:26AM (#4416192)
    Employement.

    Nobody likes telemarketers. But we're talking about a *lot* of jobs. It sucks that people don't have actual skills, literacy, insights, money to invest, etc. But the bottom line is that call center jobs are sometimes the only game in town.

    The real problem is that the telemarketing industry is part of our welfare system...

  • Part of the problem... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Andy Smith ( 55346 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:30AM (#4416215)
    ... is the people who answer the questions.

    I get very few telemarketing calls, maybe a dozen or so a year, but I object to them on principle so a couple of months ago I decided not to accept them in future.

    About a month ago I got a call and a very polite guy explained briefly who he was, what his company did (market research) and asked if I had a few minutes to answer some questions.

    I told him: "Actually I don't like taking part in these things, sorry."

    His reaction told me so much. Slight pause, then in a surprised tone: "You don't?"

    I imagine lots of people make excuses not to answer the questions, or they just say they don't have time or whatever, but judging from that guy's reaction I bet I was the first person to just say that I didn't want to take part.

    Maybe if more people make it clear to cold callers that they aren't welcome, they'll quit doing it. It's not like spam where the sender is pretty much anonymous. The cold caller is right there on the phone! Just tell them that their call isn't wanted.

    But remember that the person on the other end of the phone is just someone paid to sit at a desk and dial numbers and ask questions. No need to be rude to them. I'm sure they'd be doing a better job if they could get one.

  • Fun With Telemarketers! (Score:3, Funny)

    by toupsie ( 88295 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:37AM (#4416246) Homepage
    Well some people [google.com] do want these calls! [chris.com] This guy [jimflorentine.com] seems to have the most fun with them. I get a chuckle everytime I hear the calls he gets.

  • Understanding telemarketers (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Rebar ( 110559 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:46AM (#4416291)
    IANAT, but it's a seriously lousy job. Turn-over average is two weeks (from my memory of a local telemarketing firm). Mostly they are college-aged looking for some well-paying temporary work. The stress levels are incredibly high, between the call quotas and the hostile people being called.

    Here's what YOU can keep in mind, to avoid the need for any high-tech solution:

    • The people calling you have to be able to not take your comments personally, or else they will not last as a telemarketer. You are wasting your time trying to be cute. If they have a thin-skin, they will realize that it's not the job for them in short order, without your help.
    • You are doing them a FAVOR by saying "not interested" or "put me on your do-not-call list" and HANGING UP. They can then get on with their list and you can get on with your life. You can even be rude with a clear conscience since you are doing them a favor by terminating the call as soon as possible. You don't have to say anything at all; just hang up. My suppertimes got much easier once I realized that cold-calls don't have to be a source of stress for me.
    • Telemarketing isn't cheap, and the telemarketing firm doesn't want to call you if you aren't going to buy. There's a FREE(*) telemarketing opt-out list in the U.S. run by the Direct Marketing Association, and it works. Use the Google to find it; it's well worth your time if you don't want to be called by long-distance or credit-card companies at supper time.

    Before you flame me, realize I am not apologizing for telemarketing. I wish I could make the entire concept disappear with a wave of my hand, but I can't; telemarketing is too profitable to just go away. "There's a sucker born every minute", after all.

    (*)Well, last I checked it was free if you sent them a letter for the cost of a stamp, and $5 if you register on-line (to keep you from registering all your friends and family and the phone book presumably).

  • My solution - be nice (Score:3, Funny)

    by gosand ( 234100 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:47AM (#4416297)
    I had a new take on dealing with telemarketers. Instead of my usual (talking to them for a second, then just putting the phone down), I was going to ask them their name, then while they went through their routine I was going to start looking them up on the internet. (DSL is great). But my wife scolded me for that idea, saying that no good would come of it, except for my sick enjoyment.

    So I keep a pad of paper by the phone. When they call, I ask the person their full name, and I have them spell it. I ask them the name of their company. Then I politely say "I want you to take me off of your list, and never call here again". They are used to dealing with aholes, but they aren't so used to dealing with someone who takes down all their info and speaks nicely but firmly with them. They get a little freaked when you ask for their name, but they usually give it to you. Now THEY are tied to the call, so they have a vested interest in not pissing you off. As we all know, people are a lot more bold when they are Anonymous Cowards.

  • The EZ Hangup link you provide is a scam (Score:4, Informative)

    by bobtroy ( 544448 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @08:56AM (#4416344)
    The link in the posting for EZ Hangup links to a site that's running a scam. Zenith's EZ Hangup is a $10 product--I have one. For $49.00, the site hangupnow.com is offering you one Zenith EZ Hangup device and a "free" listing on the "national do not call list" (a $39.00 value). On top of that, there is no national do-not-call list--they're advertising a private service that contacts telemarketers to have your number removed, and it is doubtful they even do that much (particularly since their FAQ highlights that you may still receive calls, and the service has no guarantee).

  • Telemarketer Response (Score:4, Funny)

    by msheppard ( 150231 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @10:06AM (#4416775) Homepage Journal
    I take one of the following tactics, depending on my mood:

    ONE The legal approach, which could probably make you some (odd todd voice) Money.
    Ask this question:"What company do you work for?"
    Write down the answer, or don't... unless you want to try to get them, write down the date as well.
    Read this to them:
    "In accordance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 I formally request you put me on your do not call list. Any repeated calls to this phone number will result in legal action against your company. Do you understand?"
    Then hang up

    TWO The fun approach, start asking them random survey questions, and expand on the answers. The goal here is to find out what kind of people are in the world with no worry of their opinon of you. Keeping them on the phone raises their long distance bill too I guess...
    What kind of computer do you own?
    What operating system do you have on it?
    Have you heard of linux?
    How much memory does your system have?
    What type of internet connection do you have?
    What browser do you use?
    Do you own or rent?
    What type of car do you drive?
    Do you smoke cigarettes?
    -Or any slashdot poll...

    THREE Make them listen, If I am doing something like playing the piano/guitar or listening to music, I usually just put the phone down without hanging up. I've had people listen to me play the piano for about 20 min without hanging up. Pathetic part is they go right into the pitch after that, as opposed to, "That really sucked, why don't you take some lessons"

    FOUR, Two year old, Give the phone to my two year old, she doesn't have a credit card yet.

    FIVE, Porn Read them something from the Penthouse Forum, or make something up along those lines.

    SIX Turrets syndome, don't hang up, listen to response.

    M@
  • Pennsylvania recently passed an anti-telemarketing law that created a "Do Not Call" list. [nocallsplease.com] When they started accepting info (via phone and web) from people who wished to be added to that list, they got such a crushing, overwhelming response that their call center and their servers couldn't handle it, which made the local news and really drove the point home about exactly how many people HATE telemarketers.

    I am one of those people. I signed up successfully, early on the first day, but I still continue to do what I've been doing for years-- applying technology myself to keep the bastards from bugging me:

    For the last two years, I've had a Caller ID modem connected to the Mac that runs all my home automation stuff. I set it up with a whitelist of my friends and relatives. When someone on the whitelist calls, the computer verbally alerts me through wireless speakers placed thoughout the house, and I know to pick up the phone. The computer will also mute the sound on the entertainment center if I'm watching TV or have my stereo on, so I don't have to fumble for a remote. The end result is, the only people who can interrupt what I'm doing are people that I want to talk to. Everyone else gets the answering machine. This works for me because I am not so such a social butterfly that the whitelist needs constant updating. I suppose that if I were, though, I'd just create a web interface for it so I could edit it from anywhere.

    The bottom line, though, is that Caller ID is your friend. Don't pick up if you don't know who's on the other end, just let your machine get it. If the call is important enough, the caller will leave a message.

    ~Philly

  • Easy solution (Score:3, Funny)

    by Tablizer ( 95088 ) on Wednesday October 09, 2002 @01:35PM (#4418252) Journal
    Just invite them for a swim with their new gift from you: the Sodium Swimming Suit.

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