They just won't stop!

This is complicated, which makes sense because if I'm involved, it's complicated.

Once upon a time I asked for some info from Tempur-Pedic and I received huge amounts of junk mail and phone calls from them.

I told them to take me off their list. This was the first time.

It kept happening, I again told them to take me off. Yes, there had been enough time for it to go through the system to take me off.

I called again and told them to take me off, this guy was in mid-sales pitch while I was telling him to take me off their list and I interrupted him and this must have him off because after that, I got a number of phone calls with heavy breathing and other weird noises.

He wasn't much of a genius because I traced the number back to Tempur-Pedic.

Too bad I didn't have his name but I doubt Tempur-pedic would have cared. I called, reported the phone calls and AGAIN told them to take me off.

Yes, I've spoke to the manager, not just underlings, many a time.

After doing this sooo many times, I left a report on the Better Business Bureau's website, which was pointless, and I also reported them to my attorney general's office and received a letter from them saying that they contacted Temper-pedic and are looking into it.

Well it still hasn't stopped.

I've been writing Refused on them and putting them back into the mail. It does nothing but makes me feel a little better.

And yes it does bother how me much paper they're wasting but they don't seem to be too concerned about the world's resources.

ANY ideas on what to do? I'm thinking about going to headquarters and torching all their mattresses.

Okay, not really but... It would be nice.

I'll be happy to send you some matches.

When they ask for you, sincerely apologize, sound sad, and say, "I'm sorry, she can't come to the phone. She passed away last week."

:)

Just buy one and get a good nights sleep. LOL! Just kidding.
Do you have an attorney friend who could use a letterhead and scare them into stopping?
Sounds like a commision job for telemarketing.
As for the jerk and the heavy breathing, I wouldn't bother reporting him to his superiors, just report the incident to the phone company as harrassment.Maybe they could lose their license to telemarket.
Sounds like they hire people to telemarket from their jail cells, doesn't it.

Sounds like they hire people to telemarket from their jail cells, doesn't it.
I read a novel recently that had a character in it doing this and have been wondering if it actually is happening.

I had to go look, they just craked down on some bed people, but not TP.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071107/ap_on_go_ot/ftc_do_not_call

Yes, I heard about the pending heavy fines for some of those companies on the news. Sure hasn't stopped TP though.

Well actually, the phone calls have stopped as far as I can tell, it's been a while, but the mailings STILL haven't. They should make a law against it.

I also kept getting mail from Capitol One. I kept refusing it.

I looked up the stop mailing me thing and they asked for an account number. That makes it really easy since I don't have an account with them!!!

When I said that I throw some of it out I meant that I put it in the recycle bag. But it never makes the same amount of paper that it took to make in the first place.

There is something in the opt out that has a loophole. If you do have an account with a company, they are allowed to send and call you about things. You have to opt out of them individually.
The one thing I hate is when the companies you do have accounts with send you checks to use like money. Now, you don't know they are coming and it would be so easy for someone to steal these and then use them or steal your identity in the process.
I called all my companies that do this and told them to stop sending them as I don't think it is a safe practice. They have so far complied. I think it is an idiot practice.
Of course they do find it necessary to try to sell identity theft insurance on your account at a price each month. DUH! LOL

If junk mail arrives in such an incessant manner at our house,
arriving with an envelope enclosed featuring return postage
at their cost, I write in big, bold letters with a red Sharpie pen:

ADDRESSEE DECEASED
REMOVE FROM YOUR MAILING LIST

And send it back to them on their dime.

:-)

Fantastic!

If they have an pre-paid envelope inside, I'll take everything that they gave them, fold it all up and pack it in that small envelope.

It hasn't stopped them but it does give me a level of small satisfaction!

I just received an Email with tips for dealing with unwanted calls - just say "Please hold on" and put the phone down. They'll get tired of wasting their time (and not making a sale) per the email.

I just found out about a new organization to opt-out of catalogs. The news story
(on PBS) said that every man woman and child in america get 64 catalogs each.
Mind boggling. I'm on their website now opting out.

http://www.catalogchoice.org/

On the phone calls - I heard that the latest practice is to offer free reviews (health
or otherwise) so folks respond by filing out the survey. By doing so, they've just
opened themselves to bypassing the do-not-call list because now "they do business"
with that company.

I just finished reading these e-m's. Some were very funny. Personally I'd go with Sleep Number, ha.
I know Capt., you're frustrated. So am I. But for a different reason.
SPAM,,,,we get at least 10 a week claiming we won $$$$$$. They are mostly from Africa, or the U.K. Africa needs to keep its money for petes sake. They are poorly written, and stupid too. They read like a third grader wrote them. If they want me to have money I cant be that hard to find. An insurance co. found me right here after I moved back from CA. They had a $4,000 policy my Dad had made me the beneficiary of. But I do not open SPAM I did not request. They say if you send enough of them back they stop. But new ones start all the time. At least Vista weeds them out and separates them.
Thanx for letting me vent.
Oh shoot, I dont mean Africa is stupid. But whoever sends these things should know more English.

Hey Guys; What I do is save return postage guaranteed envelopes and stuff them as Full as possible with any and all junk mail from different companies.I seal the envelope with glue to make sure it stays shut.I then drop it in the First Class box at the Post Office.After doing this for a couple of years you would be amazed at how little junk mail I actually get.

LOL. I thought I was the only one who gave them extra goodies.
I've been known to send them coupons for diapers, as well.

KM

Pirl---that's genius!

It's the joy of emails!

I always send those envelopes back empty. It keeps them guessing. Or I'll send back the response card with my info blacked out.

but their phone calls---the worst!

One time, I had a call from a telemarketer. I kept him on the line for 30 minutes and then informed him I would not be purchasing anything. Boy was he mad! LOL

I have a friend who always says, "No, this isn't a goodtime for me but if you give YOUR home number, I will call you back when it is." They never call her back.

This message was edited Dec 3, 2007 12:58 PM

I feel for you. I know I have been through something like that and it took a year. I got so angry I thought I would have a stroke.
I started talking harassment and lawyers and they stopped calling.

Hey Guys; I personally LOVE telemarketers.And I love taking their calls. When you get telemarketers to hang up on you.....You WIN!-

capt you said the BBB was unsuccessful, there are SO many BBB offices though. I now only route mine through Austin Texas office, no longer near me. They are always promt and always get me a satisfactory outcome. Ask around in your area or fill out a report, wait, if no response, try another one. They can be easily looked up online. It's just like how cleanliness and service of a store varies by location.

One thing to consider about those telemarketers....
I read an article in WSJ about the helpdesk folks in India. Apparently we
(in the USA) are getting an awful reputation for all the rude behavior
we exhibit to them on the phone.

The fact is when we're calling for an appliance repair or help with a computer problem we're not thinking that we're going to end up speaking to someone whom we can't understand. It makes it even more frustrating and our fuses get shorter when we're put on hold for extended periods of time.

OH I understand why we lose our tempers... I just hadn't thought about the implication
of it on the impression we're leaving... that all americans are rude.

Maybe it's just the Americans who can't get a repairman or help with the computer in a language we can comprehend! LOL

I try to be brief but polite to the red dot "john Smith" callers. I respectthat They may have an excellent education but not enough work in that there. Hey, their English is a lot better than my Indian, or even my French.
I made a big mistake buying the air freshenre from the 'handicapped' place that sells light bulbs, air frash, trash bags etc. They are persistant and rude if you say no.
I did phone calls for a lawn service for a few months in college. 'Please don't kill me trying to make my min wage plus 25 cents an appointment.'

I enjoy different cultures and here on DG, we get to interact with people from all parts of our country and the world. I love it.
I am not sure why we (as Americans) are so intollerant of other cultures, when we are a "melting pot" country.
I do understand frustration in having a problem with a computer or other device and speaking with someone on a help line that you cannot understand on the phone. It just adds to the frustration. People need to be able to speak clearly in that situation to be of any help to the customer.

cpartschick, I think intolerance of other cultures would be a whole new thread topic.

Here it's the frustration of telemarketers, one in specific. But a lot of America's irritability on the issue is customer support being outsourced to other countries that although can speak english have such heavy accents it's almost impossible to get assistance.

Seems the co Capt is dealing with speaks another language entirely as they still can't understand the request.

Well Lets see..... I handle ALL electronic marketing with a simple hangup... when it is an actual person selling .... I tell them I'm broke and it doesn't look like it's going to get better! LOL They apologize.

Oh my gosh---never thought to use the ol' broke excuse! That's a gem! LOL!

Tir - you can also say what I say, "I don't have a job right now", and don't mention I haven't had one for 17 years.

Pirl LOL That's good!

HA!!!!

I haven't had anything from Temper-pedic for a while now. I won't hold my breath on it NOT coming.

I get a few from Craftmatic every now and then but for the company that's supposed to be fined and was on the news, I really don't get that much junk from them. I just put those in the recycle bin.

I called Capitol One and told them to take me off their list and the person said that it'll take a few weeks for me to stop receiving mail.

Guess what?! No. I don't need to tell you, do I?

Looks like we need to have another chat, Capitol One and I.

Instead of sending back coupons for them I feel like spitting in the envelope and sending it back.

In order to opt out or even talk to customer service, I need to have an account number which I do not have since I don't have an account with them!

Do I need to get an account with them just to opt out?!

Oh, and guess what. They're sending me cards in the mail too. Just what I need. One of my neighbors has already had a credit card stolen out of their mailboxes.

I feel for you.
DH says that I shouldn't let the phone calls get to me. But, it irs me that they call, and call, and call, after being on the do not call reg and asking nicely not to call.
It feels like such an invasion!
I agree that the automated phone calls are the worst. Those should be illegal.

I was told to go to:

www.optoutprescreen.com

I'm wondering why in the world I should have to give out my social security number to NOT GET JUNK MAIL?