Unsolicited phone calls

[kane_magus]

So not only are these asshats calling my home phone all the time, they're now starting to call my cell phone more and more frequently as well. "They," in all cases, being anyone who calls my number, and who does not have prior business with me that was initiated by me, and who refuses to leave a message identifying themselves or the purpose of their call. A voice mail message (in this particular case, given that they usually don't leave anything at all) consisting solely of "Press 1 to speak to an agent. Press 3 to be removed." does not suffice.

Every single time they call me like this, and I get hold of the number, I file a complaint with the Do Not Call list, with which both my home and cell phone numbers are registered. Given that the numbers are most likely spoofed, however, I doubt this is effective at all. Also, I've heard rumors that some of these shitwads are actually getting their list of numbers to harass from the Do Not Call list in the first place.

I mean, seriously, look at a few of the comments left about today's encrusted dickhole:

-- "This company has called me every week, for the past 2 months. Almost every time I spoke with a person and asked to be removed. Today I made this request to the person, Nikki, and her response was 'Ok, we will call you tomorrow'"

-- "Can help me reduce my monthly mortgage. When I asked the name of the person calling I was told to kiss his black a** and then he hung up"

-- "When my wife asked the caller to take us off their call list, the guy told my wife to stand in the mirror naked and take off her clothes and he would take one number off for every article of clothing that she took off. WTF? How do I press charges against these people???"

I think this warrants a hearty "die in an extremely hot car fire."

Comments

[owsf2000.livejournal.com]

This is why I didn't sign up for the Canadian version of the Do Not Call list. I knew very well it would have the opposite effect. I remember reading an article in the papers around here last week where an MP pretty much admitted the Do Not Call list was a failure. Ours was a bit worse than the American version to start tho I guess since it had exceptions for charities who could call you you regardless of the list.

I wonder if it would be more effective if everybody changed tactics so that instead of demanding to not be called again, instead made sure they found out which company hired the jackasses to call you (As usually the telemarketers are handling the calls for one of their customers via outsourcing etc) and then took a complaint up directly with the company that put the telemarketer up to it. You could imagine the strain on their customer representative department. ;)

Since telemarketers are generally calling to sell you something or collect donations, (except of course for the people outright scamming you) it would be difficult for the telemarketers to NOT at least give the company name at some point.

[kane-magus.livejournal.com]

Ours was a bit worse than the American version to start tho I guess since it had exceptions for charities who could call you you regardless of the list.

No no, the American one has that too. Political campaign calls are exempt as well, as is anyone with whom you had "pre-existing business" as well.

As for this latest rash of calls from the past few weeks or so, based on what I've been reading about the various numbers from which I've received calls, this appears more likely to be one of the outright scams, rather than something legit.