Below is a list of questions to ask each telemarketer when they call you. Print these questions, and put them next to the phone. Telemarketers are required by law to answer each of these questions. Write the answers down and as well as the date, time of the call, and anything else that will help you remember the call.
What is your name?
What is the name and address of the company you represent?
Do you work for [company name] or do you work for a telemarketing firm? (Few companies do their own telemarketing, even when calling their own customers. Ask the person calling if they work for the company they are representing, or they work for a telemarketing firm.
What is the company phone number?
Please put my number on your "Do Not Call List". In essence, there are two Do Not Call lists - the National Registry and a company's internal do not call list. Most telemarketers, even those that are exempt from the Do Not Call Registry, are still required to maintain their own company-specific do not call list. If you are contacted by a company that is exempt from the National Registry, you can request to be placed on the company's internal do not call list. You can take advantage of this strategy even if you do not subscribe to the National Registry.
If the company calling is a telemarketing firm, ask for your number to be put on both Do Not Call Lists: the telemarketing firm and the company they are representing.
Also, ask whether they make calls for any other companies. If they say yes, ask them not to call you on behalf of any entity.
If you ask a company with which you have an existing business relationship to put you on their company-specific do not call list, that company can no longer call, even if you continue doing business with them. If you request to be placed on the do not call list of a company with which you have an existing business relationship, your request will not apply to their affiliates. If an affiliate calls, you will have to request to be placed on that company's do not call list as well.
Please send me a copy of your "Do Not Call" policy. Companies are required to provide you with their Do Not Call Policy on demand.
After this they probably won't call you again. But save your notes, and if the company does call more then once (they are allowed to make one mistake) in a 12 month period, then you can file a complaint with your local small claims court.
If you file a complaint with your local small claims court, for what do you ask? Don't you need a monetary amount? I really don't know.
Thx.
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William
| 14 replies
In a nutshell:
If the company calls you again after you requested to be put on their Do Not Call List, you may sue them for $500 for the first violation and for triple damages for each violation thereafter. You can also collect $500 plus triple damages if you can prove other violations which include calling your house before 8am or after 9pm local time (Telephone solicitation calls to your home before 8 am or after 9 pm are prohibited.)
And even if they never call you back, you can still take action against the company for damages. For example, the law requires that the company maintain a "Do Not Call List," and a written "Do not Call Policy" which they must provide to you on demand.
Since most companies do not have a written policy, they can be sued for not providing a copy of the policy.
Great info and it should be all over the site dude.
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Scott
| 4 replies
Although this is great, I can say I have tried this numerous times in the past and gave up. Why? Because as soon as I started asking "what is your name" or asked for the address, they would hang up. So I would file a complaint. Never heard anything on any complaint I filed. Sometimes they called back, other times they would not. Some who were really rude would interrupt ME and tell me they could call me anytime they wanted to..such arrogance. And they wonder why so many people hate them.
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Doug
To get the info, I pretend interest, but ask for a phone number and the company name "to prevent fraud", which they provide to maybe get the sale. When I have it, I tell them to never call again, that it wastes their time to do so, I hate telemarketers etc.
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RHM
| 38 replies
Techniques such as these seldom work any more. These guys now usually hang up the moment you start being assertive and asking questions. They'll tersely give their first name and, when you ask to be put on their DNC list, they'll grunt "OK" and immediately hang up. I have the distinct impression that they then go on to their next call (time is money!) and never keep their promise. Proof? I get a call from the same outfit a month later. As for asking to speak with their supervisor, the new response is, "our supervisor isn't here at the moment." RHM
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Lse
| 1 reply
I just received 3 calls from the same # (515-364-6750) within 15mins. The first time i told them that we were having dinner and hung up. The second time i did not answer and they did not leave a mess. the third time my husband answer and he gave me the phone i explain that they had call 3 times within a 15 mins frame and she hang up.
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gnome
| 2 replies
I agree with Scott and RHM. Anytime I have tried to ask for a name or any data, they just hang up, or refuse to provide any information. So who do you sue in this case? As for FTC and Do not call list, I don't buy that it works, or has ANY effect at all, as far as I can tell.
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chango
| 1 reply
Call your local Postal Inspector for a sting for the sale of prescriptionless pharmaceuticals. This is part of the Alliance Health Group/myfirstpharma outfit. The domain has an IP address located in Hong Kong and a bogus contact number for a Homer Smith at 1-315-409-7229.
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MKD
| 17 replies
With Caller ID, smart phones etc. Why doesn't someone invent a phone that you can enter a number in or hit a button, when you receive a call that you don't want repeated, that will automatically ID the caller and if it is a number that you have entered simply hang up on it. It could even, with a little programming, have the first two rings not be audible. so that you are not bothered at all. It could also provide a list of calls that were rejected so you can check if anyone is not getting through that you would like to take off your list of reject numbers.
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dave
sunrocket's voip service allows blocking calls selectively. this feature alone is worth the service, i can't say enough for it. the calling party, if blocked, gets a busy signal each time. it was great during the last election period. i've got 54 numbers blocked so far and i haven't had an actual recording or person from an annoying telemarketing firm since february.
Yea, that sounds like a really great idea...if I were that technilogically awesome, I would do that!
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ITGuy
I used to have a cordless phone (Sony, I think) that would let you set a silent ring for numbers. I now created my own "ring tone" on my cell that is silent. I add the numbers to a group in my contacts and they never ring again.
Verizon has such a service. It is part of their iobi feature and it works beautifully! You do, of course, have to be a Verizon customer with DSL but it does work.
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Anne
| 2 replies
Actually, there is call intercept from Verizon. I realize not everyone has verizon though...I have stopped 100% of these stupid phone calls because of it. Yeah, it's an extra four bucks a month on my phone bill, but it's worth it. You can go into the system, and enter the number you want to block. So for those of you with verizon, your only option is "call-intercept" Ask the representative when you call. I don't believe you need DSL for this service though....I had it way before I had my DSL installed. Hope this helps
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