No to cold caller

[bigozzy]

Not quite a cold call, but in the shopping centre I rushed through yesterday. I guy selling double glazing tried to stop me with the usual questions but I side stepped (physically) and went up the escalator.

He must of been having a bad day because he yelled up at me "Don't you want to know how to save money on double glazing?"

My response? "I just did."

[Scritzy]

Not quite a cold call, but in the shopping centre I rushed through yesterday. I guy selling double glazing tried to stop me with the usual questions but I side stepped (physically) and went up the escalator.

He must of been having a bad day because he yelled up at me "Don't you want to know how to save money on double glazing?"

My response? "I just did."

Brilliant!

(What's double glazing?)

[bigozzy]

Not quite a cold call, but in the shopping centre I rushed through yesterday. I guy selling double glazing tried to stop me with the usual questions but I side stepped (physically) and went up the escalator.

He must of been having a bad day because he yelled up at me "Don't you want to know how to save money on double glazing?"

My response? "I just did."

Brilliant!

(What's double glazing?)

Oh, here in the UK, double glazing is the window with two panes of special glass and a gas inbetween for insulation. Cuts down on heating bills but the constant cold sales drive me nuts.

Lately the call centres have been relocated to India and the Phillipines so you get folk from the tropics trying sell insulation against the cold!

[Scritzy]

Thanks for the clarification, BigOzzy. I have seen such, but I don't think it's called "double glazing" in my neck of the woods.

[DrinkingTea (was Sneezy)]

I've had two calls this past week where they hang up before I can finish 'Put me on your do not call list.'  The numbers are always showing an unrelated number on the caller ID, so I have no way to tell who on earth it is to send them a cease and desist notice.  Grrr

[Mrs. Pilgrim]

Oh, man, do I ever have a story about telemarketers!

Mr. P. and I have a landline only for Internet use; it's just more convenient to use our cell phones.  I put the number down for everything.

Sometimes it will be "shared."  As background for those not in the U.S., it is illegal here to call a cell phone for unsolicited sales calls.

One company, I know not who, called me THREE TIMES on the cell phone, offering "a free Verizon cell phone."  The first time, it was a young lady, and when I told her this WAS a cell phone, she apologized profusely and promised to take my number off the list.  The second time, it was a young man who again apologized profusely and made the same promise.

The third one, however, was a different young man.  After the first line of his pitch, I decided it was time to make a point.

Telemarketer:  "Congratulations, you've been specially chosen to receive a free Verizon cell phone!"
Mrs. P.:  "Really, sir?  At this number?"
Telemarketer:  "Yes, yes, this number!"
Mrs. P.:  "That's odd, because the last two times you've chosen this number, I've told you that it was a cell phone."
Telemarketer:  "Yes, it's a wonderful Verizon cell phone with--"
Mrs. P.:  "No sir, you don't understand.  The phone on which I'm speaking right now is a cell phone."
Telemarketer:  "That's nice.  Now, if you'll just--"
Mrs. P.:  "No, I won't just.  Let me put it to you this way:  You are committing an illegal act, and you are doing it with notice.  If you or anyone from your company contacts me again, I will not only sue you all for harassment, you personally AND your company, but I will go down to the District Attorney's office and file a complaint against you.  You WILL take my phone number off of your list, and you will cease to attempt to contact me.  Are we clear?"
Telemarketer:  "*pause*  But the cell phone is--"
Mrs. P.:  "What is your name?"
Telemarketer:  "Huh?"
Mrs. P.:  "Your name.  Because I'm going to sue you.  I'll be filing the paperwork tomorrow."
Telemarketer:  "Oh ****."  *CLICK*

I didn't sue or file charges, but I also never heard from them again.  I think I was polite--in a strained sort of way.

[artk2002]

One company, I know not who, called me THREE TIMES on the cell phone, offering "a free Verizon cell phone."  The first time, it was a young lady, and when I told her this WAS a cell phone, she apologized profusely and promised to take my number off the list.  The second time, it was a young man who again apologized profusely and made the same promise.

Kind of ironic, since Verizon has won an injunction against telemarketer who were calling Verizon's cell phone customers!  http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2005-12-09-verizon-suit-telemarketers_x.htm.

[bigozzy]

At the moment it is not cold callers but cold emailers slipping through the filters. Really annoying and poorly worded offers from the bank of Nigeria or India to get 10 million free if I just send them all of my personal details and a $500 processing fee.

[FunkyMunky]

We got a letter in the mail from the ex-Vice President of Zamgeria offering the same thing. 

Alas, I could not find it on a map, so I had to decline their generous offer.

[Twik]

We got a letter in the mail from the ex-Vice President of Zamgeria offering the same thing. 

Alas, I could not find it on a map, so I had to decline their generous offer.

Don't you know, it's somewhere over the Rainbow....

[SusanBeth]

My youngest daughter worked as a caller for a "nonprofit" for an extremely short time before deciding that she would feel a great deal more pride working at McDonald's. If you want to make a caller feel as uncomfortable as you do, simply ask what percentage of the donation actually goes to the charity.  In HER case, it was 15%.

Most of the callers had a set spiel that they weren't supposed to change. They also weren't supposed to take the first no for an answer. I think they were encouraged to get 3 nos before being allowed to give up. Also, "Take me off the list!!" had to be phrased in a specific manner. All the calls were monitored, so they could get in trouble if they didn't follow "The Rules".

Now, I just ask to talk to the supervisor. It may take more time, but it tends to be more effective. I insist that s/he remove my name and number from their list. So far, it's worked well.

Being short with the caller does have a certain feeling of Old Testament rightness to it. But after DD2's experience, I just don't have the heart. They are taking abuse left and right.

[cass2591]

I do believe that the DNC list exempts charities, so no matter how much you appeal to be removed they are not required by law to do so.

An interesting tidbit I never knew before was something I saw on "Jeopardy" a short time ago. Telemarketer companies are supposed to check the DNC list every 31 days to check for new signees. Not saying they abide by it, but that's the law.

[bionelly]

I've been getting one almost every day lately offering to extend my vehicle's warranty, which they mysteriously know is about to lapse.  This seems odd to me because:

1. Our car is more than ten years old, so the manufacturer's warranty would almost certainly have expired already.

2. We bought it used, so the manufacturer's warranty wouldn't apply anyway, and there was no warranty from the dealer.

3. The calls started when we owned an even older car which we also bought used.  When we got rid of it to get our current one, the calls continued without interruption.  If what they were telling us was true, then both cars, which are about ten years apart in age, would both have to have their warranties expire at virtually the same time.

Of course, it's a recording, so I can't easily tell them not to call.  And for the past month at least, each time I've been told that "this is the last chance to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity!"  It seems like that should mean that that's the last call I'll get from them, but the next day, I get another one.  Aaaarrggghhh!!

[FunkyMunky]

They must have contact details on that message. Find it, and report them to the police for harassment. Using a communication device to annoy is a crime.

[kareng57]

I do believe that the DNC list exempts charities, so no matter how much you appeal to be removed they are not required by law to do so.

An interesting tidbit I never knew before was something I saw on "Jeopardy" a short time ago. Telemarketer companies are supposed to check the DNC list every 31 days to check for new signees. Not saying they abide by it, but that's the law.

That's what I though too.  Charities and political organizations are exempt from the DNC - also, I believe, are any businesses that you've dealt with in the past.  So, if you have a Citibank Visa, you can't stop them from phoning you to promote the new-and-improved version.  Of course you'd think that if they wanted to keep your business, they'd stop calling if you made it clear, but who knows.