How do you get rid of phone solicitors? I usually let the answering machine catch them, and they

[raccoon]

hang up. But I want to do something more proactive.

They talk so fast you have to force yourself to interrupt, and say "Excuse me, I'm not interested. Please take me off your calling list."

Anybody got any better suggestions? Does that do-not-call list work?

[madinmaryland]

1. The "do-not-call" list does help.

It will not eliminate political calls, charity calls, and obviously debt collectors. If a telemarketers calls, just tell them you are on the list, and most times they will quickly hangup never to be heard from again.

[NewJeffCT]

16. +1

That's been a big help for me

[Dulcinea]

18. +1

I have caller ID, & if I don't recognize a number, I don't answer.

A friend of mine used to do this:

Telemarketer: Is Mr. Smith there?
My friend: No, he's dead! (Worked every time.)

[SwampG8r]

2. the list works

i use it calls are down about 90 percent
also check with your state and see if they have a no call list too

[HopeHoops]

3. I answer with "What the fuck, over?" - in Russian.

[driver8]

4. The do not call list is great, but we get calls almost every night from charities.

We have simply quit answering our phone in the evening. I don't know what else to do.

[old mark]

5. We are on the do not call list and have very few sales calls now.

I do exactly what you do and then just hang up.

mark

[pintobean]

6. I answer, but don't say anything.

They end up hanging up and I don't have to clear a message. Their reactions can be entertaining.

[Amaril]

7. Do not call list works very well IMO

I have a friend who used to say "Gee, I was just about to masturbate -- do you mind if I continue while we talk?" That seemed to work well, too.

[mreilly]

8. I just tell them it's a wrong number...

... and that the person they're looking for doesn't live there. I do it in a very scatter-brained "Hey man, I'm totally baked!" stoner way (usually I'll ask them in a slurred voice "Jeff, is that you? C'mon, Jeff, quit fucking around!"). Since they think I don't live there and can't fall for their stupid utility/credit card/mortgage refinance/whatever scheme that causes most of them to lost interest in me quite soon, and since they've been told that the people they're really looking for (me or my wife) don't actually live there they don't pry much at "When is so-and-so going to be home so I can call back?".

Even if the telemarketer decides to barge ahead and sell me something anyhow I just say "Sorry, dude - I don't even LIVE here! This is Jeff's house (no one named Jeff actually lives at my house, obviously); I'm keeping an eye on the cat while he gets back with the pizza!" or I'll say "I'm just here to help Jeff move some of his shit out." Stuff like that - the gist of it being I'm some idiot who just so happened to pick up the phone but doesn't know anyone or anything. I generally just act so dazed and stupid they don't even bother to try to go forward, and hurriedly apologize then get off the line.

Sometimes they call back; more often than not they don't. They must update their lists to take me or my wife off once they think we don't live there. This is much better for me than having to wade through a bunch of crap getting off their lists.

[carlyhippy]

20. LOL! I like that one

C

[foxfeet]

9. Ask them if they know anyone who can clean up lots of blood

and can come over RIGHT NOW.

[carlyhippy]

14. LOL! that's cold haha

but what if they call the police and send them to your house?

[foxfeet]

25. If you don't have an actual crime scene in your house you should be OK.

You don't, do you? :evilgrin:

[carlyhippy]

34. LOL no crime scene here

unless it invovles sleeping cats, sleeping dog, and real housewives of NJ reunion blaring on the TV :)

Geeze, there is so much yelling on this real housewives reunion show, the whole block is probably wondering what is going on in this house ha.

[annabanana]

10. I usually just interrupt their patter with a bunch of questions & stuff

"I don't believe we have an account with you..or I pretend I just finished talking to them and ask to speak to "Amy"

you know.. just mess with them generally

they give up quick

[MajorChode]

11. Just breathe heavily

If they ask what is wrong, tell them you are taking a shit.

[sakabatou]

12. The DNC list works well, but it sucks against non-profits

[jobycom]

13. I haven't gotten one is so long I don't even know how to answer.

I had a land line that I put on the DNC, and after that I got a few political ads, but only at certain times of year. Those are all robo-calls anyway, and they want the machine to answer, so I let it. Now I just use a cell phone. For a while I was getting a car warranty calls on my cell, but I added that number to both the cell phone and regular DNC, and haven't gotten one again. I don't give any political groups my phone number anymore (just email), so I never get those calls.

[carlyhippy]

15. I answer and if they don't hang up, I let the get their spill out

then tell them I am not interested, then they go into part 2, I again tell them I am not interested, they give me the # if any questions and hang up. Fin

These people are just doing their job. I give them a little respect, but never buy anything or agree to anything. A simple I am not interested should do the job.

I have, however had some really rude telemarketers. Really rude, as in getting smart a@@ed with me when I said I was not interested. I just hang up on them. Fin. I don't have time to deal with rude telemarketers' nonsense.

[NewJeffCT]

17. My dad used to just tell people that he got whatever the telemarketer was selling

for free.

Back before cellphones - "I get free long distance. Can you match free?"

[guitar man]

19. I used to put on my best Mafia Guy voice

and act like was talking to someone in the room.

"Yo, Vinnie, can we find out where this little prick is? Yeah?....no, don't kill him, just break both of his fucking legs!!"

:rofl:

[CBGLuthier]

21. I am not interested, thank you. hang up

The key is to be moving the phone away from your ear and hanging up as you say it. You really do not owe the person anything more than that. I don't keep a telephone so strangers can call me.

[IDemo]

22. The winner:

from the Bob and Tom Radio Hour:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtFCeIdcbiw

[NoPasaran]

23. I say "Just a moment, please"

Set the phone down.

Walk away.

Come back later to hang it up.

[Moondog]

24. I alternate between

just putting the phone receiver down and walking away for a half hour or so, and hitting the asshole plaguing me in my own home with a compressed air boat horn. I put in ear plugs first before I zap them.

[sofa king]

26. Ditch your land line and stick to cellular service.

You can try websites like this:

http://www.killthecalls.com/

But the bottom line is that the various federal and state "do not call" lists are highly sought after by telemarketers... so they can call you. There is practically no enforcement of the laws, so the list itself is far more valuable than there is risk of punishment.

But nobody ever calls the cell phone. Apparently the risk of harassing a cell phone number is higher... or something. I've even had success getting telemarketers to stop calling by claiming my land line was a cell phone.

Back when there was such a thing as MCI, they used to spam me several times a day with calls trying to get me to switch my long distance service, while my mailbox was full of their solicitations. So one day, I filled out a change of address form and told them I wanted to switch. The new address I gave them was the local AT&T office. Never heard from them again. I didn't even have a phone line in my name, they just got me from some list.

[Curmudgeoness]

27. Do not call list works wonders. And don't feel bad about

interrupting. Don't be so nice. What is this "excuse me" thing??? Just say "take me off your list". Repeat until they hang up. But really, I get so few calls anymore, and they are never for-profit businesses these days.

[Moondog]

28. I did that. But politicians, charities

and a few other categories are exempt. And around here abuse hell out of the exemption.

[Curmudgeoness]

30. Too true. But I have good luck with most of them removing

my phone number from their lists. And since no one will ever ever get money over the phone from me, no matter how sad the story, I think over time they give up on me.

Oh, but the political robocalls are a nightmare. I just don't even answer the phone the week up to elections.

[Generic Brad]

29. Air horns work wonders

[Amerigo Vespucci]

33. Vuvuzelas are better

[realisticphish]

36. Why yes, I am interested! My credit card number is BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

This was my 12,300th post. And it was a vuvuzela joke :D

[Withywindle]

31. I work in phone fundraising for a non-profit, so I know.

The DNC list is very good as far as for-profit companies go.

But for charities and non-profit agencies, letting it go to voicemail is the WORST thing you can do. The callers will keep trying until they get an actual human on the phone, because that's what they are trained to do. The BEST thing to do is to pick up the phone, say hi, and then say politely but firmly, "I'm not interested."

Most groups will respect your wishes....at least for a year or so, or until the next time you buy tickets/make a donation.

That's how non-profits stay alive. They have to ask. They keep asking because a lot of people DO give over the phone, and so it's cost-effective to do so.

[raccoon]

38. Thanks for the heads up! There are some numbers that I believe would call me every day until I die.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

32. The do not call list does work.

I've had times where I've gotten calls from the bank or other service providers, who tend to be in a grey area (their opt-out policy is buried in fine print, and quite often the policy states they CAN call you UNLESS you opt out).

The majority of telemarketers work from a script. If you throw them off script, you throw off their rhythm. I don't enjoy being rude, but with telemarketers, I have no problem being direct.

If they don't identify themselves immediately (I mean within SECONDS, right up front) I will ask "Who is calling?" When they identify themselves and attempt to get back on script, I will ask "What is the purpose of this call?" If they try to go back into the script I will ask again, in a sharper tone of voice, but not yelling, "What is the purpose of this call?"

I'd say 9 out of 10 just give up and answer at this point, and I will say "Not interested, thank you, and please add me to your opt-out list. Don;t call this number again."

Whether you're on the do not call list or not, if you request to opt out, they must comply.

[realisticphish]

35. I just say no thanks, and hang up

not their fault they have one of the most loathed jobs in the country, and I'm too lazy doing anything creative.

I will say, though, one time in college, a guy in my dorm suite had this credit card solicitor going for 30 damn minutes... he decided to speak in an effeminate southern accent, for some reason, and she didn't even flinch when he told her he was an illegal immigrant who had jumped the border from Canada. The thing eventually ended when his girlfriend's ex broke down the door, accompanied by gunfire courtesy of our computers. It was EPIC.

[Roon]

37. I answer every single one of my phone calls

If I don't like what is being said on the other end, I just hit that little red button or hang up..simple.

[Arkansas Granny]

39. With caller ID and answering machine, I haven't taken one at home for quite

some time. We get them frequently at work however. I just tell them no thanks and hang up. I don't feel any need to take out my frustrations on them. They're just trying to make a living and I'm sure telemarketing wasn't the career path they wanted to take.