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"I Hate Phone Solicitors" Thread.

Stewie26

Stewie26

Feb 15, 2012
1,557
13,571
Redondo Beach-Palos Verdes, California
#1
I signed up to the, Do Not Call list when it first came out. For the first year or two it worked fairly well with only an occasional call from a charity or political group. Now, my home land line gets up to a dozen calls a day. Some of the calls are from contractors looking for work, mortgage companies, carpet cleaners and so on.
I really like my privacy and feel like my home is being invaded at times. Most of these solicitors caller ID say
"unavailable" so I just pick up the phone and immediately hang up. But lately, I have noticed that some caller ID's now say "wireless" so I pick up and then there is someone wanting to sell me something. Sometimes, they address you by your first name, like they are your buddy, and act like you should know them. I have even had them out right lie to me and say that my wife asked them to call me regarding what they are trying to sell. Anyway, I am really getting tired of this invasion of my privacy. Rant over.
PS: They really seem to like to call during our dinner hour.
 
#2
Stewie26 said:
I signed up to the, Do Not Call list when it first came out. For the first year or two it worked fairly well with only an occasional call from a charity or political group. Now, my home land line gets up to a dozen calls a day. Some of the calls are from contractors looking for work, mortgage companies, carpet cleaners and so on.
I really like my privacy and feel like my home is being invaded at times. Most of these solicitors caller ID say
"unavailable" so I just pick up the phone and immediately hang up. But lately, I have noticed that some caller ID's now say "wireless" so I pick up and then there is someone wanting to sell me something. Sometimes, they address you by your first name, like they are your buddy, and act like you should know them. I have even had them out right lie to me and say that my wife asked them to call me regarding what they are trying to sell. Anyway, I am really getting tired of this invasion of my privacy. Rant over.
PS: They really seem to like to call during our dinner hour.
Click to expand...

My solution: (my wife hates this solution)

I NEVER answer the phone. EVER. I let it ring through, and if they leave a message, I will call them right back, assuming its someone I want to call back.

My wife cannot do this. She will lunge through the house, even from the dinner table, with a mouthful of half-chewed food, and a fork in her hand, cursing and panting, and then will be surprised when it is a phone soliciter.

At some point, you think the element of surprise would diminish, but to my utter fascination, no.
 
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#3
Stewie26 said:
I signed up to the, Do Not Call list when it first came out. For the first year or two it worked fairly well with only an occasional call from a charity or political group. Now, my home land line gets up to a dozen calls a day. Some of the calls are from contractors looking for work, mortgage companies, carpet cleaners and so on.
I really like my privacy and feel like my home is being invaded at times. Most of these solicitors caller ID say
"unavailable" so I just pick up the phone and immediately hang up. But lately, I have noticed that some caller ID's now say "wireless" so I pick up and then there is someone wanting to sell me something. Sometimes, they address you by your first name, like they are your buddy, and act like you should know them. I have even had them out right lie to me and say that my wife asked them to call me regarding what they are trying to sell. Anyway, I am really getting tired of this invasion of my privacy. Rant over.
PS: They really seem to like to call during our dinner hour.
Click to expand...
Just offer to call back. Have them give you their home phone number and call them during dinner time.
 
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#4
I love these calls. It is a source of free fun. Try to keep them on the line until they get frustrated and hang up on you. Ask them to repeat themselves, explain something you "don't understand", give more details. Tell them to hold while you ask your wife about it. Ask them to hold because you have to go pee, let the dog in, answer the door. Tell them about Aunt Margie's goiter. You can make it really interesting.
 
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#6
Don't forget the large number of scammers from Russia/Indonesia/wherever who use automated robo-dialing and spoofed Caller ID numbers. They are criminals and have no regard for the Do Not Call list. This includes "Rachel from Card Services".

I do not answer if it's obvious it's a solicitor. If I do answer (since right now I'm looking for a job, so I can't completely disregard the phone) and it's a scammer/salesman/"charity" whatever, I just hang up immediately. Life's too short to waste it on the phone with them.
 
#7
buldog5151bass said:
I used to play with them, but I realize it is just a job, and most people are doing this because they are trying to make a living, and can't get something else. I just hang up.
Click to expand...
I fully understand this and kind of feel sorry for them. Just think, when you go home after a full day of working and after being rejected hundreds of times, it must mess with your brain. With that said, I still hate phone solicitors.
 
#8
We have the same issue here in Canada. Most of these cold callers are domiciled off-shore so the government says they do not have jurisdiction over them and can't throw the full weight of the law on them. So much for bureaucracy! I just politely say thanks but no thanks. If they still persist I just hang-up.
 
#9
Stewie26 said:
I fully understand this and kind of feel sorry for them. Just think, when you go home after a full day of working and after being rejected hundreds of times, it must mess with your brain. With that said, I still hate phone solicitors.
Click to expand...

Yup. I also used to sell life insurance when I was young and stupid. I remember having to make cold calls for hours, and how much it sucked.
 
#12
I have a feeling this thread will be about as controversial and full of dissenting opinions as a "cancer sucks" thread.

With my cell phone I don't answer any calls if it doesn't show up as someone that is in my address book unless I am specifically expecting a call from a stranger for some reason. No big deal if they go to voicemail.

But up to a dozen solicitor calls a day is excessive. If that's the case I'd be tempted to start answering them and tell each solicitor to take my number off their call list. It's a hassle but at least the number of calls would slow down since I do believe they are legally obligated to comply.
 
#16
I used to have to do this as part of my real estate job. It generated me enough business to justify itself. Through laziness and complacency I let it slide for a couple of years. I got motivated and tried again a few years back before I retired. Call display made it an exercise in futility. The majority of people let unknown calls go to voicemail and I never had someone call me back after I left a message before or after call display. Having been in their shoes, when I get caught when I pick up on an unknown local number I just say "thanks for your call, but I'm not interested. Bye" and hang up. They're just trying to make a living, and believe me, it's a major trudge. It still amazes me today how little abuse I took when I was doing the calls on a regular basis (must be that "polite Canadian" thing).
 
#17
Anybody I want to hear from on my cell phone has a name that comes up.
Old technology is a beautiful thing. Answering machine on land line. Caller I.D. for our friends. I'll talk to mine. I'll let my wife call hers back after they leave a message for her. She always answers if we are at home together.
I flipping hate telephones. I'm enjoying my peace and solitude and it's like somebody threw a bucket of cold water on me.
 
#18
Eh, people have to make a living. I listen when they call, then politely excuse myself from the conversation when appropriate. Some can be pushy, which I also understand since it is their job, but I am eventually able to end the conversation.

-Mike
 
#19
bachlover said:
I used to have to do this as part of my real estate job. It generated me enough business to justify itself. Through laziness and complacency I let it slide for a couple of years. I got motivated and tried again a few years back before I retired. Call display made it an exercise in futility. The majority of people let unknown calls go to voicemail and I never had someone call me back after I left a message before or after call display. Having been in their shoes, when I get caught when I pick up on an unknown local number I just say "thanks for your call, but I'm not interested. Bye" and hang up. They're just trying to make a living, and believe me, it's a major trudge. It still amazes me today how little abuse I took when I was doing the calls on a regular basis (must be that "polite Canadian" thing).
Click to expand...

The majority of people are polite. Even many Americans.
 

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