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Dark Knight / Le Chevalier Noir
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When you say "Hello" to a telemarketer - you often hear nothing at the other end of the line until you say "Hello" a second time. They want to verify that it's not voicemail that they are talking to. As soon as they hear the second "Hello" - they know it's a human at the other end.
Hang up right away if there is no immediate response to an initial "Hello".
Or you could trick them by making your voicemail recording as you saying "Hello? (pause) Hello?"
Only the rushing is heard...
Onward flies the bird.
well, once your number gets on a circulated list, you're toast. The DNC is basically an advertising list of valid phone numbers for people who either a) don't care about the law or b) are one of the many, many, exceptions who are allowed to call you anyway.
actually, what we are (and I forget the exact wording I was given) is 'unregistered' (or something like that) which is apparently a bit better than unlisted
But in your case, it's your karmic punishment for moving from Victoria......
Hi Bob G.
What I do is calmly ask the person talking if they have a Credit Card?
They ask Why and then I say
"I'm a small business owner and I require your Credit Card and Expiry Date in order to charge you for my time to listen to you"
The call usually ends and I never get a call from that telemarketing company again. Funny thing is I am a Small Business Owner
Try it you might like it. I know I do.:)
Thats good John.
What I have done has been somewhat similar: I will agree to answer the survey only if I can conduct my own set of survey questions at your private home phone number. The response has always been no. I then say, So how do you think I feel about your calling my phone number today and answering your questions.
The call ends there. Do this a few times and you will find fewer agencies calling.
I don't see what difference an unlisted number would make. Telemarketers now have automatic dialers with recorded messages playing when someone answers. They will just go through a sequence of numbers (or maybe random numbers) - listed or not.
Hugh,
When the CRTC finds out that a telemarketing company is violating the DNCL, they lose their ability to communicate with the public and they get charged hefty fines.
Oh, if it were only that simple! We've been unlisted for 20 years. The first 16 years were OK, but when we moved from the Island to the Mainland in 2006, the computer telemarketing started with a vengeance and has never let up. What gets me is that if you answer the call, there's never anyone there! But that doesn't stop them from calling back... over and over again. And yes: we're on the national DNC list. Some difference that makes... :(
Dan & Roger,
Being unlisted only means your information is not accessible from the phone book or 411, it does not legally prohibit telemarketing companies from calling you. If one organization shares your contact information with another organization, then the fact that you're unlisted is meaningless.
Jordan
No matter how big and bad you are, when a two-year-old hands you a toy phone, you answer it.
Hi Bob G.
What I do is calmly ask the person talking if they have a Credit Card?
They ask Why and then I say
"I'm a small business owner and I require your Credit Card and Expiry Date in order to charge you for my time to listen to you"
The call usually ends and I never get a call from that telemarketing company again. Funny thing is I am a Small Business Owner
Try it you might like it. I know I do.:)
That's funny!! It reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld's response:
I remember one telemarketer called me to tell me that my car insurance payment is overdue and they wanted my credit card number. When I asked her which insurance company she was calling from, she hung up. I called PhoneBusters (a branch of the RCMP), and they logged my complaint. They said they were already working on it with the US authorities but were still logging complaints.
Are you sure that it was telemarketing? In other words were they a company that was trying to sell you something and with which you had no dealings in the past 12 months? If not than they do not have to follow the National Do Not Call registry.
Vlad,
Not sure where you get your information from, but it's not entirely accurate. Telemarketers are exempt from the DNC list if you have an existing business relationship with them. Read up:
Telemarketing calls from organizations with whom you have an existing business relationship are also exempt. You are considered to have an existing business relationship with a telemarketer if you:
•Purchased, leased, or rented a product or service in the last eighteen (18) months from the telemarketer;
•Have a written contract with the telemarketer for a service that is still in effect or expired within the last eighteen (18) months; and/or
•Asked a telemarketer about a product or service within the last six (6) months.
The site also says: If you do not want to be called by a telemarketer making an exempt call, you can ask to be put on the telemarketer’s internal do not call list. Every Canadian telemarketer is required to maintain such a list and respect your wishes not to be called.
Therefore, even if you have an existing business relationship, the company must maintain an internal DNCL list and respect it so long as you wish not to be called by them about any new products or services. Only calls regarding market research, surveys, or public opinion polls are not subject to an internal DNCL.
Oh, if it were only that simple! We've been unlisted for 20 years. The first 16 years were OK, but when we moved from the Island to the Mainland in 2006, the computer telemarketing started with a vengeance and has never let up. What gets me is that if you answer the call, there's never anyone there! But that doesn't stop them from calling back... over and over again. And yes: we're on the national DNC list. Some difference that makes... :(
Your mainland number would be one that you inherited. It is possible that the previous owners of that number actually bought something from a telemarketer (Ding Ding Ding), or even that they ditched the number to avoid getting called so often.
If there's nobody there, then perhaps it isn't telemarketers, but a crank call intended for the previous holders of your phone number. Then the cops might be called in. But if it's just a pause before the pitch, then the rule "Never say hello twice" clicks in. You just hang up.
It would not surprise me if telemarketers used the Do Not Call lists as a source for numbers to call for their "surveys"--which usually end up being a pitch for vacuum cleaners or whatever.
Roger's number might have been brand-new, what with the creation not so long ago of the 250 area code, and the various new exchange codes.
I get this call, the usual crap about "do you remember filling out this form, blah,blah, congrats you've been selected to win a prize". Ya right, that's about the 100th time this year!
So, believe it or not, after I hung up on this clown, he calls back immediately,
"why did you hang up on me?"
Cause your a telemarketer stupid!
No I'm not! :o
Yes, you are!
He actually argued the point, on and on, so I hung up again!
Okay, I've found two ways to handle telemarketers that are fun. I've tried both.
1) Talk baby talk to them.
Example:
Telemarketer: "Hello, I'm calling on behalf of XYZ to sell you our amazing Blahblah"
Me: "Googoo"
Telemarketer: "Excuse me?"
Me: "Gaga"
Telemarketer: "Hello?"
Me: "Booboo. Gaga."
Normally around here they hang up.
2) The "fascinated" approach.
Telemarketer: "Hello, I'm calling on behalf of XYZ to sell you our amazing offer of Blahblah"
Me: (in exaggerated voice) "Wow! Tell me more!"
Telemarketer: "Uh... our Blahblah costs $X and does Whatever"
Me: "Incredible! Please, tell me more!"
The key is no matter what they tell you just keep sounding totally enthusiastic and ask for more information. After a while they get the hint that you are wasting their time, just like they are wasting yours.
There's a third fun thing, but I've never tried this one, even though I think it would be even more fun:
Okay, I've found two ways to handle telemarketers that are fun. I've tried both.
Try playing deaf. Then when you have them screaming into the phone repeat some of the words. Except use words that sound like the ones they are saying. It's a hoot!
You can have a real ball with the duct cleaners. Amazing what rhymes with duct. Then to end it tell them you have electric heat.
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