Best way to shoot a telemarketer in the face?

[TromboneAl]

These telemarketing calls are really bad news. I don't think there's much you can effectively do, even when they are breaking the law.

If you do speak with a real person, tell them they are on a recorded line, and that if they hang up, they will be breaking the law.

I used to harrass telemarketers, using up their time, telling them that everyone hates telemarketers, "does your mother know you turned out to be a telemarketer?" etc. But I decided the satisfaction wasn't worth the risk of making a bad person pissed off at you.

 

[yakers]

It would be too late if they have your home telephone number but there is one service that I have used a bit and has worked so far, it is called smartphone.com. Its being designed by a fellow member of my Mac users group, this gives you a free pnone number which just takes messages. You log on to the web site to hear your mail. One thing I like about it is I can send a voice attachment of the message with email.
Its a real phone number, which I regard as a "throw away" number. The free service only covers 5 call messagtes but so far its enough. So when I register for free vacations at travel shows and the like I give this number.
Not a full solution but I really think this service will last as it fills a nitche nothing else does. Not a single telemarketer message so far.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Thats what I'm using the sunrocket service for, although its not free. We have the main land line (which is the one these buttheads are calling), and the two standard sunrocket phone numbers. One of those goes directly to voicemail hell, and thats the number everyone is going to be getting. The other number is "located" in an out of town area code and forwarded to our land line. We have family in the out of town area code, so its a local call for them, so they dont have to pay any long distance to call us.

It might take years for that sunrocket phone # we're giving everyone to filter down to the direct marketers, but it'll happen eventually.

In the meanwhile, I've logged all these calls and filed a second complaint with the FTC, and I've filled out the OPTOUT mentioned above, and the paper version of the DMA's opt out form.

Since I just closed the home equity line of credit with Digital Credit Union, that might also abate the flow of "mortgage refinancing" calls :

 

[Brat]

CFB: were I in your situation I would look for a cheap cell phone that doesn't require a contract (aka-a throw away). Give your family that number and tell them that you will call them back on your land line.

 

[donheff]

Another popular technique is to start talking and then say, "hold on a second there is someone at the front door - I will be back in a minute." Then leave the phone off the hook for a while come back, repeat with, "darn, there is someone else at the door - please hold on..."

 

[kcowan]

See if you can subscribe to Call Blocking. It allows you to enter 12 numbers that never ring on your line. They get a message saying your call cannot be connected to that number. If it is an 800 numkber you have to add it right after the number calls you. Otherwise just key in the offending numbers. Works for us. We cycle numbers through the list of 12 to get of them forever.