Do Not Call List

I got this in the email today. I've tried to check it out as a hoax but didn't find anything...so maybe some one that can search better than me can prove or disprove it. Thanks! J0




Subject: Do Not Call List

This was sent to me by a good friend, NO, she didn't get it as an email and then forwarded to me. So beware what you sign and send back or in signing any coupons. READ THE FINE PRINT even if you have to use a magnifiy glass. Kitty (Ruth)

For those that have signed up on the "do not call list": it looks as though companies are already trying to find ways to get around it. This is to all of you that signed up for the "do not call" law. This week I received a card in the mail that looked alright -- It said "Vote for your favorite cola - Pepsi or Coke - and receive a complementary 12 pack." It didn't look suspicious -- but for some reason I kept looking at it. THEN I FOUND IT !! At the bottom of the card there is a VERY small statement. It is SO small it is hard to read -- but here is what it says: "By completing this form, you agree that sponsors and co-sponsors of this offer may telephone you, even if your number is found on a do not call registry or list."
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>This REALLY upset me and I just wanted all my friends to be aware of this way to get around the "do not call" law !! Just think how many people will send this in and their do not call registry will be NO GOOD!! The company's name is MARKET SOLUTION. Please send this to all your friends who signed up for " do not call". I think this is just one of what we will get in the future; so READ EVERYTHING before you SIGN AND SEND!!
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Here's a link to an Urban Legends/Netlore site that is THE place to check for internet hoaxes, emails etc. This says the above has not been proven or verified, but is worthy advice to heed....always read the fine print!

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_do_not_call2.htm

All of the companies that have the drawings or entry forms where you put your name, address and phone number have that same notice in small print. Our state started a "do not call" list last year and that's when they told us on the news about filling out those forms.
The worst ones are the "win a free vacation" things at the mall.

I don't usually answer my phone when it rings anymore, because at least several times a day it's those pesky people selling something. I particularly hate the ones who start out being folksy, like they have a right to call and it's only by accident that they fell into voice mail. Lately, when the voice mail announcement comes on to tell me what number called and at what time, the number is only four digits, always the same and something like "0105". For some reason, almost all of the calls I receive are from people wanting to save me money on my non-existent mortgage, which they claim to have run across and noticed the high rates I'm paying. The other frequent one is for credit card rollovers. I am sick of them, and have actually started ignoring the phone, checking for a message later and returning calls I deem worthy. But I am wary of any list process, and haven't signed on for "relief". I'm afraid it will turn out to be like so many things, just a new thing for the scammers to exploit.

I actually just got one of these today. It was a home survey. The reward for completing this servey was coupons. I was going to do it for the couplons untill I read the bottom. I can't recall the exact words, but by sending in the survey, I was allowing them to share my phone number with ther sponsers, and would be able to be called at anytime. Pretty lame.

brian.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/donotcall/index.html

This is the place I registerd on...it is a Govt site so should be OK? Shouldn't it? LOL Jo

One would think....

i registered on one quite like it in our state, and haven't had that many calls since then. but we have caller ID, so if a call comes through w/o a name and number, as "unknown" then we know it was one of 'them'. the we did have one leave a lengthy message while we were on vacation - he just babbled into the machine...what a way to make a living...

Our phone company has something called "unknown caller call block" and if at least a phone number doesn't show up on the caller id, it blocks them. They get a recorded message saying "this number is not accepting calls from you at this time". Of course some have found a way around it by having a number show up, but not many.

I didn't realize that the "Do Not Call List" doesn't actually get activated until the fall. I had yet another telemarketer call and I told them I'd put my name on the "Do Not Call List". They had the nerve to explain that it doesn't apply until such and such date. I said that as far as I was concerned, I had put it into effect the day I applied and then hung up!

Morph....That is the time that the telemarketers must get this list...they don't have to do it daily....so I think we will see an increase in calls until then. I'm just happy they made this a national law......we had it in Fla through the Consumer Affairs Dept...it worked good there. Even now in most states if they call you one time and you tell them to remove your name from their calling list,,,,make a note of the date and time and who you spoke to....then if they call again they are subject to being sued. A woman in Florida made a nice income by recording all her calls in a notebook. She would sue in small claims court...$2,000 or $3,000. The companies usually settled out of court for that small amount. Jo

What a good idea. There are two companies that keep calling me even though I've told them repeatedly "DO NOT call me again." I need to start taking names.

The problem I have with blocking calls with no number available is that all too often a legit caller's number doesn't show. Like my kids. Sometimes theirs show, sometimes not. I'm not sure why Verizon can't get it right, but nothing is consistent.

I had forgotten about the effective date for the "do not call" list. Thinking of this thread, today I answered a call, thinking telemarketers were not supposed to call on weekends, and right away heard the spiel begin. I immediately said "I am making a formal request of you to take this number from your list and do not call me again." Know what he said? "Ma'am, if you don't like to get these calls, you should take the required steps to stop them. Otherwise, I have a right to call you." I asked for a supervisor, and was told he didn't speak with "prospects". When I asked for the company's name, the jerk said, in a snide way, "You don't know, do you?" and disconnected. I shall make a note of the next ones, and I shall indeed file complaints and lawsuits and whatever else the law allows. If they want to increase their income by calling, so do I by complaining.

Wasn't some legislation passed several years ago that provided they couldn't call on weekends and holidays and after nine at night?

I don't answer the phone if the caller ID says "unknown", "unavailable" "out of area" ... any of that.
Sometimes it's my sister calling, using her cell phone, and sometimes it's my aunt calling, using a calling card. They know to talk to the answering machine. If I hear my sister, or my aunt, or anyone I know, I pick up. If not, cest la vie.

Also, I notice that most telemarketers hang up after the third ring. My answering machine doesn't pick up until the fourth, so I get very few telemarketing messages on the answering machine.

Since I signed up for the Do-Not-Call list the calls have tripled. I'm just waiting for October ....

Cheri'

It used to be that way, but now they can call anytime I think. I should do what my daughter does when she answers the phone.They ask for me, she says Who is calling? What company are you with? so maybe we should all do that, then we would have the information first before they get a chance to be snotty.
Once a gal called and DH answered, when he realized it was a telemarketer, he hung up. She called back and called him a not so nice name! We had no clue who it was so had no way to talk to her boss. I wish they would make it all illegal.

Me, too, Callalily! It is an invasion of privacy and worse. If someone from the street forced himself or herself into my home, I would have them arrested, but they can do the equivalent by phone and I am helpless to stop it.

Since my service is from Verizon, caller id isn't effective for me. The only numbers that show up are Verizon numbers.

I have always used the "may I say who's calling" technique when it's for some person, but these telemarketers don't usually ask for anyone. They just start right in with their pitch! And no matter what I say, it seems they just ignore it and pick up where they were interrupted to finish a canned pitch. I have also had them call back repeatedly when I had said "not interested". I used to try to be considerate, because many students earn their living this way and one of DD's friends does it, but now I don't really care about manners. It's certainly not polite to barge into my home and assault me.

I think the worst ones are from funeral services. This happened recently, and the caller was actually annoyed when I said I already own several lots and have paid for plans. She tartly asked me if I could be sure they would be adequate when I had a death. So I told her I was on a diet and didn't think the spaces would shrink as fast as I will.

Most phone companys have the service where you can call the #82 (??) and see what the number was of your last caller....but when I was getting so many hang ups and called the Troublesome Calls Dept of the phone company they couldn't give me the number that called, but did tell me it was mostly the same Aluminium Siding company in another town. They were very helpful in this situation. Jo

Or, if you're willing to tie up the line for a bit, say, "one moment please", put it down on the table and walk away - that leaves "them" waiting. Eventually they hang up and you'll hear the beep beep of the phone off the hook.

Oh the worst ones are the recordings: "please hold for an important message" or you get a whole recorded sales pitch then they want you to press one to talk to a representative! Some nerve!
Sbarr, DH does that, he puts the phone in front of the TV speaker.

LOL Aimee on the repsonse to the funeral call!

I've don that, sbarr, where I just say hang on a minute and just leave the phone until I hear it beebping...

Morph, the real rub was the fact that it was a solicitor from the very place where I own 8 spaces and where my daughter was buried in 1979. I actually told her that, but the airhead just blithely sailed right on with her soliloquy. I should have given her the "just a moment" treatment. Had forgotten about that one.

My ex-BIL used to tell them, "just a moment, my secretary handles these calls" and then hand the phone to his six-year-old daughter. She *loved* talking on the phone!

Our Callstation software is a wonderful augmentation to the caller-ID. With it, we can have a message play for callers with blocked numbers. There are all sorts of ways to customize it. Check out this screen print:

The National Do-Not-Call will not be effective unless your state also has a law that will dove-tail in with it. Unfortunately Ohio doesn't have one (yet). It is only for out-of-state calls, and does not apply to charities, political parties, or companies you have done business with in the last 18 months (I think).

I refuse to pay $12.00 per month for Caller ID program. Yep. $12.00 to find out it is someone that I don't want to talk to! Often I just let the machine get it.

Whoever started this (Roadrunner, I think) said that in small letters at the bottom of a contest list was an agreement that the sponsor must not be included on a "do not call list". I found a huge bunch of companies ganged together making a pitch at the fair last year. Something like 200 businesses had chipped in and were giving away a "free" SUV. Only catch was, you had to agree that any business participating was allowed to contact you. For at least 3 years. Fergedaboutit!

Man, Columbus charges $12/month for caller-ID?? That's way more than Newark. I love it because we've had harassing phone calls and this way I was able to log them.

Caller ID is worth it's weight in gold..Also, a good way to aggravate the unwanted caller it to ask them very nicely, could you hold on just a sec?...Don't come back for a few minutes, they usually hang up quickly.. I hope our Do Not Call List will help..
Larkie

Ooooo, I like that software, Kim :)

Dave Barry yesterday gave the toll-free phone number for the Telemarketer Association: 1-877-779-3974.

Give them a call and let them know that you HATE all the calls. Somehow they have the impression that we love getting calls about all the amazing products and services available only because they interrupt our lives at all hours of the day and night.

And if you call on September 19, do it with a pirate accent. Yep, it is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. "Avast ye matey, I hate telemarketer phone calls! I want to make them walk the plank." *grin

Awesome idea, Lupy!!! Thanks for the number & the date :)

Aye Matey, that's great! We don't get the paper, so I have to read his stuff online. Here's the column: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/columnists/dave_barry/6649728.htm

By the way, his weblog is hilarious: http://davebarry.blogspot.com/


This message was edited Monday, Sep 1st 1:30 PM

Another way to freak telemarketers out is to say.

" hold on please, I must speak to my lord and master Satan.)
Then start saying alot of gibberish in a scary voice.
I havent tried this yet, but I'm sure it would freak some people out,LOL.
You think God would mind?

I was being constantly hampered by a lottery company who were really cheeky, and just wouldn't take no for an answer ... well, until I sat the phone next to my speakers and gave them a 10 minute full volume dose of the finest hard trance techno ... I hope the guy was wearing headphones at the time ... Oh yes ... they don't call anymore ... good old Kosmonova!!! :-D

Bumsh . Bumsh . Bumsh . Bumsh . Bumsh . Bumsh


Technomoor

LOL!

Wintermoor, you nut! That would keep me from ever calling you.

Boomsh. Boomsh. Boomsh.

But how did YOU stand for all the noise?

As a music fan, I love also 90% of the new stuff (apart from hip-hop/rappers), and I especially like the really hard trance loud & proud techno.
I was at the love parade in Berlin this year and last, and that's about twice as loud as any hard rock show ... great stuff, it definitely gets the wax out of the ears, it just seems to melt away LOL!!


Wintermoor

I signed us up for the no call list and hope it works!

Kim, I'm so glad to have DB's link! I had forgotten about him, but he is so hysterical! Thanks for the links!!!

I used to be covered up with these calls. Now I NEVER answer the phone. I have the answering machine set for four rings and monitor the machine. If someone whom I want to talk to starts to leave a message, I pick up. If it's someone, I don't want to talk to, I walk away. Usually a message is never left, the nuisance callers just hang up.

Check out this web site for information about getting your name off of mailing lists, too. We do this everytime we move.

It's a link to the Direct Marketing Association in NY.

http://www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglistdave

We love caller-ID. We use Callstation software on our computer as an answering machine, and it has a talking caller-id feature. It makes it handy to just be able to hear the caller's name when the phone rings. We can zap telemarketers, too. It's come in handy when we received calls from a specific number repeatedly, too.

I got us a Tele Zapper last year, it was $44. at Radio Shack - it doesn't catch all the calls, but it has cut down on a bunch. It gives the ones that are automatically dialed by a computer a "Zap", or loud noise (we don't hear it). The phone does ring, but no one is there, so at least we don't have to listen to recordings. We can also see on our caller id that it was an unknown # or one from NY or somplace far away from us.