What if they DO???

Ok - I'm a BIG fan of this new Federal Do-Not-Call Registry. In fact, I signed up for it the day it was available. I am so sick and tired of the gazillion bulls*** phone calls I get and I think this registry is a great idea.

Yeah, I know - it's stuck in high court limbo about whether or not it's a violation of free speech ammendment rights, which is another ball of wax. But my question is, what do you do if they DO call you? Who do you notify? What happens? How do you "tell on them"?

The next step is to get rid of all the d#mn SPAM!

When we signed up for the Missouri No-Call list, they sent out instructions on what to do if solicited. Call them back and ask for the information. Do realize that you will still get calls - any non-profit organization or any organization that you have an affiliation to (credit cards, banks, etc) can call you. If you are like my husband who jumps from bank card to bank card, you will get calls from each company that you signed up with.

But it has decreased the calls - we only get about 1 a night now, rather than the previous 5.

Basically, if they do call you, you have to get certain information from them - Company Name, Address (if possible), their Phone Number (which since they are supposed to stop blocking their number from Caller ID should now be much easier) and the name of the person you are talking to, and document the time and date of the call. Then you can go to the same website you registered at and they will either have instructions or more than likely a reporting form there.

BTW, a 3 judge panel in Denver overruled the idiot Federal Judge who said it infringes on telemarketers' 1st Amendment rights yesterday and gave the FTC authority to IMMEDIATELY put the No Call List into effect. They are still going to hear the case in Federal Court, but in the interrim the law still applies.

It's interesting that the FCC has ruled that you cannot be telemarketed if it is on your nickel. So if you pay to receive faxes or pay minutes on a cell phone, they are not supposed to solicit you, regardless of the No-Call laws in place. There is a penalty charge per call for doing this (I think about $25 per call).

With Wireless Number Portability, you can eventually transfer your home wireline number to your cell phone. It will be interesting to see what the telemarketers do when that day comes, since they won't know which phone numbers are "free" calls and ones that are causing charges to the cell phone owner.

I'm waiting for the day that sending SPAM in e-mails is considered a cost to the receiver.

Are the phone numbers supposed to be "open" now? I wonder... cause my caller ID still shows them as "Out of Area", or, otherwise blocked.

The calls have significantly decreased but the big test is usually Saturday mornings when I'm snuggled in my bed with the kitties sleeping in!

Hey! I have the PERFECT solution for u guys..

I have not had ONE SINGLE SOLICITING CALL.... U can do the same..

Become DEAF! Most organizations do not have ttys (device to communicate with deaf people) so therefore if they DO call and I answer using tty (VERY RARE for me to answer-more often, my cats would answer..), they can't talk to me.. (must have ttys on both sides OR one side use relay - interpreter) so therefore they can't talk to me or sell stuff to me... Hmmm I guess that could be considered obscene calls since whenever I answer, I hear nothing on the other end?? Just being silly!

Good luck to u guys regarding this. I can understand how frustrating it is.

Pamela - as you know I am deaf also, I still get calls from telemarketers - the phone rings and I go to answer it, and nobody is there, and thats how i know its "them" - its still annoying answering the phone 5 times a day.

Yeah I know u're deaf also.. Think of this- they CAN'T talk to u anyway right since they don't have ttys or doesn't know how to use relay?? so they can't talk to u to convince u to buy stuff!

LOL thats true

Oh I got an idea - try and get a tape recording of some awful noise and put it on the answering machine - maybe it will stop those telemarketers?

! That's a good idea! Maybe record someone SCREAMING their head off?! I think that would scare these telemarketers off..

what really makes me mad about telemarketers is that they ae using my phone that i pay the bill to have for my own use and they use it to sell their goods, not right at all. i just screen my calls anymore

Here's an idea I saw somewhere once. Pick up the phone and explain that you're just too busy right now but you'd love to chat. Ask them for their home phone number and tell them you'll call them back around 2:00 AM when you have more time.

Or....

Pick up the phone and ask them to hold. Set the receiver down and go about your business. Go back 10 minutes later and hang up the phone.

I gave up my landline and just have my cell phone now. I'm not much of a phone talker anyway and I never get unsolicited calls!

yea i use my cell alot more than my landline, i can answer all those calls

Here's an idea I saw somewhere once. Pick up the phone and explain that you're just too busy right now but you'd love to chat. Ask them for their home phone number and tell them you'll call them back around 2:00 AM when you have more time.

Click to expand...

That's GREAT!!! Love it!!