Excuse me?!

[Twik]

I don't speculate about what "they" might do.  That's a waste of my time.

I don't know what you mean by saying I have no influence.  I can answer/not answer, listen/not listen, or hang up.  I don't know if you're aware, but some telemarketers have been successfully sued.
The point is that saying "I can't talk right now" or something along those lines (such as you suggest) encourages them to call again when you CAN talk.

Actually, there have been many times when I've simbly said "Not interested, please don't call again" and never heard anymore from the caller.   Not every teleparketer relentlessy calls everyone they have called before over and over and over.  And being on the Do Not Call list does help.

I'll speculate. I'll speculate that they do not have a list where they mark down "Person was unable to talk right now, but implied we could call back later." They simply check off that number, and it will be called again in sequence.

Asking to be taken off the call list usually only works if you're dealing with an actual local company who realizes that removing a number, say, for a car washing offer is the best thing to do if told the customer has no car. The big guys don't particularly care. They aren't going to waste time taking your name off the list unless it is legally required, simply because it's too much trouble.

[TootsNYC]

I thought it was legally required for them to take you off the list if you explicitly say to. (How the government enforces that, I don't know.) We say it every single time, and I think our volume of calls *has* dropped.

[gen xer]

I've encountered people who complain that they "can't get off the phone with telemarketers" because they seem to think they have to convince them that they don't need what they are selling.  I know it's already been said but just don't engage them.  Tell them you're not interested and hang up.  I am not rude to them but trust me "Thanks but I'm not interested" and cutting them off is perfectly fine.

With all the foul language and anger they endure on a daily basis hangups are nothing.  In my experience the people who get the most frustrated by them were the people who wouldn't disengage.

I found the annoyance factor is much less when you don't give them the time of day!

[Figgie]

I tend to interrupt them immediately once I realize they are a telemarketer.  I say:  "We are not interested.  Please put us on your do not call list.  Thank you."  I then hang up without waiting for any response, as I know it is just going to be more of the same.

If they start out asking about my day or how I am doing, I add the words "in anything you are selling" to the above sentences.  The less time I spend on the phone with telemarketers, the easier it is for me and I am not obligated to do anything other than tell them no, put us on the do not call list and then hang up.

[camlan]

In a way, the politest thing you can do to a telemarketer is get off the phone quickly. The number and amount of sales they make is tracked very carefully. So by getting off the phone quickly if you have no intention of buying what they are selling you are allowing them to call more people, who might be interesting in buying. That would increase their sales.

Win/win.

[KimodoDragon]

My standard for telemarketers is "I'm not interested.  Goodbye." and I hang up before they can say anything else.

This.  Telemarketers are looking for a "foot in the door".  You do not owe them an explanation.

[KarenK]

Don't spend so much time on the phone with the telemarketer. When he/she starts in on their spiel "I am not interested." then hang up.  You do not owe them anything.

POD

The bolded is exactly what I do.

Me, too.

[Pen^2]

As soon as I realise it's a telemarketer (I've had a lot who disguise themselves as other things), I'll flat-out interrupt to say, "thanks, but I'm not interested. Have a nice day!" and hang up, even if they're mid-sentence. The interruption evolved from too many having five-minute opening speeches about their companies. I'm not willing to waste their time or mine.

And for a lot of them, waiting to hear their response is seen as an 'opening'. I'll not wait to hear them say 'goodbye' back, because invariably they'll keep following their script and try to sell you stuff, or whatever they're trying to do. Quote a few will be starting to say, "but have you thought about how much you could save if-" as I press the 'end call' button.

Don't give an excuse, because a lot of companies call you back. It's like telling an amorous guy, "I'm married" instead of just "I'm not interested." The first gives the impression that if your spouse was out of the picture, you would consider him. Same for telemarketers: "I'm busy" means "if I wasn't busy I would listen and consider you" to a lot of people.

[White Lotus]

Caller ID. If I don't recognize the name or number, I let it go to VM unless I am expecting an urgent call and the incoming number either reflects the business I am expecting to hear from or looks like a back line or extension.  I dislike being shunted to hold while someone I am talking to goes off to take another call.  "Excuse me, I need to get this.  Would you like to hold or should I call you back?"  Works perfectly with and for me.  "Please take this unlisted, do not call, number off your list and never call it again.  Thanks. (Click)" also works for me if I pick up a telemarketing call by mistake.  We have a lot of illegal robo-calling here.  I figure anybody real will leave a voice message.  I also do call back promptly (if it's me) and expect the other person to call back promptly (if it is them.)

[nayberry]

although we are on the UK no call list (TPS) if a call originates from overseas it doesn't count grumblemumblefazzingwrazzing.... 


i got bored of the 13 (yes THIRTEEN!)  calls from teh fake windows spammers in one day that the last one i was incredibly non ehell and swore in a way that the saltiest sailor would have blushed!  it actually stopped the calls for about 6 months, which was a result as we'd had about 4 a day for the 3 months before

[Otterpop]

My DH made the mistake of answering the phone this Saturday and asking questions of the guy selling construction services.  I was staring at him and making the "cut throat" sign to get him off the phone.  He finally said he had to go but, too late, the damage was done.  Now they call and ask for him by name.  The last several days there have been 20 calls from different unidentifiable numbers.  I now look at caller ID.  If I don't recognize the number I pick up the phone and set it down again to hang up.  I can't stand the RINGING anymore, this is driving me MAD.

OP, you pay for the cell and it's service.  They have no right to use your time or take your attention, especially a cell when you could be anywhere doing business, handling a crisis, etc.  No matter how you got them off the phone, it was totally OK.