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"Telemarketers always use a script: why shouldn't you?"

Serious script

Fun script

See the JunkBusters Junk Mail page for good tips on this. Somewhere on that site is a link to the DMA's Mail Preference Service, which will get you off all DMA member mailing lists. Don't like pre-approved credit cards? There is a toll free number you can call that will tell the three major credit reporting agencies not to release your information (see here. There is a lot you can do to stop the junk snail-mail.

Also, a typical HTTP response header, which can't be compressed, is about 300 bytes (not including TCP/IP packet overhead, which we'll ignore hoping that HTTP/1.1 keepalives are putting it all in one connection...). There were 18 images (actually 20, but junkbuster filtered 2 out for me).

That's a totally reasonable question. I feel quite Libertarian, so I naturally want the issue to be decided privately. If consumers can't solve it through boycotts, the telephone companies could set up do-not-call lists and put large fines for telemarketing into their service contracts. Competition with cell phones is one thing that could encourage companies to develop attractive features like that. But it's not happening now, and the telemarketers keep calling.

More realistically, it does feel like a violation of my rights when people keep using my own phone to wake me up at 8AM and offer me credit cards. I feel that somehow I should have the right to keep people away from me. So I might support more laws against telemarketing. But I don't trust the government to make a law that actually works - see the exceptions for non-profits, political campaigns - even companies not selling directly over the phone are free to call you under this law!

Luckily, I found that there are technological solutions. Junkbusters recommends a variety of devices that can significantly reduce telemarketing calls in various ways. A month ago, I paid $60 for a Screen Machine, which answers the phone first with a voice message telling telemarketers to go away. Not a single junk call has gotten past it yet. I'm not sure why these devices haven't caught on, given how annoyed everyone is by the telemarketers. Anyway, the market has finally solved my telemarketing problem, so I'm happy.

http://www.junkbusters.com/script.html

Gives them a run for their money and, best of all, if the telemarketer takes a wrong step, they open the company up to legal action.

Odd. I keep getting telemarkets calling on my cell phone, and as a college student, that gets expensive (relatively) quite quickly.

#include <ianal.h>

Want to offset some of that expense? Take legal action, even if it is against just one of the companies that is doing this to you. Telemarketing to a cellphone is a violation of FCC regulations. See here, Subpart L, section a.1.iii, and notice the words "cellular telephone service."

Try here, for info about the TCPA. Basically, anything that reverse charges is illegal to send unsolicited messages to.

It's a federal law. See the applicable FCC regulations on this page -- "[No person may] Initiate any telephone call to any residential telephone line using an artificial or prerecorded voice to deliver a message without the prior express consent of the called party, unless the call is initiated for emergency purposes or is [not made for a commercial purpose, made for a commercial purpose but does not include the transmission of any unsolicited advertisement, made to any person with whom the caller has an established business relationship at the time the call is made, or is made by a tax-exempt nonprofit organization.]"

You might consider getting a better (more robust) ad blocker (like Privoxy, JunkBuster, or Proximitron) that can block ads in subdirectories, and (even better) by regexp!

Or... you could just peruse Google's list of ad blockers.

Bon appetite!

Check out junkbusters.com. (this is what i know about the Federal law; states might have better protections) You can't sue your bank, b/c they have a buisness connection with you. That's the loophole. If a buisness completely unconnected to you calls you then they are breaking the law. However, they put a bunch of loopholes in the law. You actually have to be called a second time by the same company within a year to be able to sue them.

You seem to think there's an unlimited capacity and market to send to. Wrong.

Spammers are already effectively targeting as much of the email-accessible population as they can. I've run stats from multiple, widely seperated addresses and domains, and have seen loads of largely identical patterns, trends, and mails received.

As several more critical articles have revealed (the WSJ one referenced as history in this article), spam is marginally profitable. Where it is profitable, it can be lucrative -- at least sufficiently so to leverage the ill-gotten gains to some impressive electronics and real estate. But raising costs will impact the bottom line

And that means:

• Going after the ISPs.
• Reducing TTL for a given relay.
• Utilizing SPEWS and other blacklists to put the muscle on pink-contract ISPs.
• Utilizing SpamAssassin and other adaptive filtering methods to reduce the crud flowing into mailboxes.
• Using heuristic throttles at major gateways to slow down major spews of email.
• Teergrubbing.
• Consider per-mail charges. The rate need not be high to be effective -- on the order of $0.01 / 100 mails would add $100 to a million mail spam dump, but only $1 per message for a mailing list with 10,000 subscribers. At these rates, membership dues or donations could float legitimate organizations, and legitimate commercial marketers would swallow the cost without blinking (legitimate email marketing has response rates in the 1% - 25%+ range -- thousands of times higher than spam).
• Leveraging political tactics in the effort...

Spam is economic activity. Attack it on economics. You'll see success.

Junk snailmail costs on the order of $1-$5 per item, with items such as circulars and flyers being considerably less, though there's an implied geographical targeting occuring. Yes. I've worked for outfits which considered a large campaign to be 30k pieces, and a large part of the effort was selecting the target group (blanketing the US or any other country is not an option), and measuring the results.

The result is that you receive a limited amount of such mail. Note too that payment methods (the USPS, in the US, is taking payment) means that there are audit trails available. And there are legal means, operating through the USPS, for blocking junk postal mail (including the pornography exclusion method). Very useful for, say, keeping a PO Box useful w/o requiring daily checks.

You seem to think there's an unlimited capacity and market to send to. Wrong.

Spammers are already effectively targeting as much of the email-accessible population as they can. I've run stats from multiple, widely seperated addresses and domains, and have seen loads of largely identical patterns, trends, and mails received.

As several more critical articles have revealed (the WSJ one referenced as history in this article), spam is marginally profitable. Where it is profitable, it can be lucrative -- at least sufficiently so to leverage the ill-gotten gains to some impressive electronics and real estate. But raising costs will impact the bottom line

And that means:

• Going after the ISPs.
• Reducing TTL for a given relay.
• Utilizing SPEWS and other blacklists to put the muscle on pink-contract ISPs.
• Utilizing SpamAssassin and other adaptive filtering methods to reduce the crud flowing into mailboxes.
• Using heuristic throttles at major gateways to slow down major spews of email.
• Teergrubbing.
• Consider per-mail charges. The rate need not be high to be effective -- on the order of $0.01 / 100 mails would add $100 to a million mail spam dump, but only $1 per message for a mailing list with 10,000 subscribers. At these rates, membership dues or donations could float legitimate organizations, and legitimate commercial marketers would swallow the cost without blinking (legitimate email marketing has response rates in the 1% - 25%+ range -- thousands of times higher than spam).
• Leveraging political tactics in the effort...

Spam is economic activity. Attack it on economics. You'll see success.

Junk snailmail costs on the order of $1-$5 per item, with items such as circulars and flyers being considerably less, though there's an implied geographical targeting occuring. Yes. I've worked for outfits which considered a large campaign to be 30k pieces, and a large part of the effort was selecting the target group (blanketing the US or any other country is not an option), and measuring the results.

The result is that you receive a limited amount of such mail. Note too that payment methods (the USPS, in the US, is taking payment) means that there are audit trails available. And there are legal means, operating through the USPS, for blocking junk postal mail (including the pornography exclusion method). Very useful for, say, keeping a PO Box useful w/o requiring daily checks.

Here's another script. Personally, as soon as I realize it's a telemarketer I immediately interrupt their spiel with a "Could you please put me on your no call list?" Their response is invariably a quick and polite "Okay(click)".

But it stinks, because the DMA "helped" them write it. People who you've done business with get a free ride, but you should of course demand off of their list -- and forbid them from selling the list to anyone else.

You have to go through a song and dance to invoke the protection of the law, and of course the underpaid person on the line won't know what you're talking about (please don't yell at them unless they're rude; it's the company's fault and they just need a job). Here's a script that purports to hit all the points.

The DMA also offers a telemarketing opt-out at their site, but annoyingly it's a form you have to print, sign, and mail in (wouldn't it be terrible for some prankster to opt you out of these calls). It times out after 5 years, and I have no idea whether it does enough. It only applies to DMA members, or others who voluntarily use the service. Here is another opt-out.

Even picking up the phone to hang up can cause you problems. The autodialer will note that the number is valid, and what time of day you're home. Cute, huh?

We have a talking caller ID and nowadays never pick up if it's "caller unknown." I don't know who that guy is, but I'm going to strangle him.

I've been noticing a new tactic used by telemarketers here in sunny Wisconsin. Upon asking to be added to the DNC list, the person on the other end rapidly spits out something to the effect of "You need to call our DNC list management group at 1-800-555-1212" and then hangs up before I can ask for the number again to write it down. I 'spose it technically meets the rule, but effectively I can't get on the list unless I can remember a 7 digit random number that I heard one time quickly long enough to get to a pen and paper. Jerks.

Actually, I *think* that's illegal. They can't make you call another number to opt out. They're supposed to do it immediately when you ask them on the original call. You might want to look at this anti-telemarketing script from Junkbusters.com to get a feel for what you can successfully sue them for.

Here are the requirements for telemarketing in Canada, according to the CRTC. (more info here)

• Callers must identify the person or organization they represent.
• Upon request, callers must provide the telephone number, name and address of a responsible person the called party can write to.
• Callers must display the originating calling number or an alternate number where the caller can be reached (except where the number display is unavailable for technical reasons).
• Names and numbers of called parties must be removed within 30 days of the called party's request.
• DO NOT CALL lists are to be maintained by the calling party and remain active for three years.
• There are no calling hour restrictions on live voice calls. Sequential dialing is not permitted.
• Calls are not permitted to emergency line or healthcare facilities. Random dialing and calls to non-published numbers are allowed.

another site with info on telemarketing laws outside the US.

I've found that using the Junkbusters anti-telemarketing script helps quite a bit as well. It's a little bit annoying for the first few weeks, but after that, the calls drop off quite dramatically.

Telephone Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P. O. Box 9014, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014

More tips at Junkbusters. Now we tend only to get long distance phone company calls.

junkbusters.com has a bunch of info on what to do about telemarketing and other annoyances (spam, junk faxes, junk mail, etc). It's pretty well done and worth a read.

--
regulators

junkbusters.com has a bunch of info on what to do about telemarketing and other annoyances (spam, junk faxes, junk mail, etc). It's pretty well done and worth a read.

--
regulators

What about the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-243 (1991), which amended Title II of the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq.)?

No person or entity shall initiate any
telephone solicitation to a residential telephone subscriber

1. before the hour of 8 A.M. or after 9 P.M. (local time at the called party's location), and

2. unless such person or entity has instituted procedures for maintaining a list of persons who do not wish to receive telephone solicitations made by or on behalf of that person or entity.

Recently during the (September 2002) MA primary elections I received a 2+ minute automated voicemail from a group supporting one of the candidates. What am I going to do, sue them?

Yes. They probably violated FCC rules. Excerpt from link:

"The TCPA also prohibits artificial or prerecorded voice message calls to residences made without prior express consent, unless it is an emergency call or specifically exempted by the Commission."

this might help

Slashdot Revenue Denial HOWTO version 0.02

Slashdot provides information. Information has value protected under intellectual property laws. Since Slashdot does not believe in intellectual property, as demonstrated by its support of an organisation which does not believe an author should have any rights on the products of his mind, its editors are implying that Slashdot itself has no value. As such, it should not claim compensation for its services.

So much for the philosophy. How can you fulfil Slashdot's own wishes? The basic aim is to stop views of Slashdot's advertisements, so its sponsors no longer perceive Slashdot as providing worthwhile exposure, and stop sponsoring it.

• If you are using Mozilla, simply right-click the advert at the top of the page, and select "Block images from this server". Do this whenever you see a new advert appear on a Slashdot browser window.
• Or you can add an entry to /etc/hosts under a Unix-based system or C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS under an NT-based system:

  127.0.0.1 images.slashdot.org
  127.0.0.1 images2.slashdot.org
  127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net
  127.0.0.1 ln.doubleclick.net
  127.0.0.1 m.doubleclick.net
  127.0.0.1 m2.doubleclick.net

• Looking for a ready-built revenue denial product? On Windows or Unix, you could try AdBuster, AdKiller or Internet Junkbuster. And WWWoffle is a comprehensive caching solution.

Please distribute this HOWTO widely and add to it if you have further useful advice.

Slashdot Revenue Denial HOWTO version 0.02

Slashdot provides information. Information has value protected under intellectual property laws. Since Slashdot does not believe in intellectual property, as demonstrated by its support of an organisation which does not believe an author should have any rights on the products of his mind, its editors are implying that Slashdot itself has no value. As such, it should not claim compensation for its services.

So much for the philosophy. How can you fulfil Slashdot's own wishes? The basic aim is to stop views of Slashdot's advertisements, so its sponsors no longer perceive Slashdot as providing worthwhile exposure, and stop sponsoring it.

• If you are using Mozilla, simply right-click the advert at the top of the page, and select "Block images from this server". Do this whenever you see a new advert appear on a Slashdot browser window.
• Or you can add an entry to /etc/hosts under a Unix-based system or C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS under an NT-based system:

  127.0.0.1 images.slashdot.org
  127.0.0.1 images2.slashdot.org
  127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net
  127.0.0.1 ln.doubleclick.net
  127.0.0.1 m.doubleclick.net
  127.0.0.1 m2.doubleclick.net

• Looking for a ready-built revenue denial product? On Windows or Unix, you could try AdBuster, AdKiller or Internet Junkbuster. And WWWoffle is a comprehensive caching solution.

Please distribute this HOWTO widely and add to it if you have further useful advice.

Slashdot Revenue Denial HOWTO version 0.02

Slashdot provides information. Information has value protected under intellectual property laws. Since Slashdot does not believe in intellectual property, as demonstrated by its support of an organisation which does not believe an author should have any rights on the products of his mind, its editors are implying that Slashdot itself has no value. As such, it should not claim compensation for its services.

So much for the philosophy. How can you fulfil Slashdot's own wishes? The basic aim is to stop views of Slashdot's advertisements, so its sponsors no longer perceive Slashdot as providing worthwhile exposure, and stop sponsoring it.

• If you are using Mozilla, simply right-click the advert at the top of the page, and select "Block images from this server". Do this whenever you see a new advert appear on a Slashdot browser window.
• Or you can add an entry to /etc/hosts under a Unix-based system or C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS under an NT-based system:

  127.0.0.1 images.slashdot.org
  127.0.0.1 images2.slashdot.org
  127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net
  127.0.0.1 ln.doubleclick.net
  127.0.0.1 m.doubleclick.net
  127.0.0.1 m2.doubleclick.net

• Looking for a ready-built revenue denial product? On Windows or Unix, you could try AdBuster, AdKiller or Internet Junkbuster. And WWWoffle is a comprehensive caching solution.

Please distribute this HOWTO widely and add to it if you have further useful advice.

Slashdot Revenue Denial HOWTO version 0.01

Slashdot provides information, which has value under intellectual property laws. Since Slashdot does not believe in intellectual property, as demonstrated by its support an organisation which does not believe an author should have any rights on the products of his mind, Slashdot is implying that it itself has no value. As such, it should not claim compensation for its services.

So much for the philosophy. How can you fulfil Slashdot's own wishes? The basic aim is to stop views of Slashdot's advertisements, so its sponsors no longer perceive Slashdot as providing worthwhile exposure, and stop sponsoring it.

• If you are using Mozilla, simply right-click the advert at the top of the page, and select "Block images from this server".
• Or you can add an entry to /etc/hosts under a Unix-based system or C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS under an NT-based system:

  127.0.0.1 images.slashdot.org

• Looking for a ready-built revenue denial product? On Windows or Unix, you could try AdBuster, AdKiller or Internet Junkbuster. And WWWoffle is a comprehensive caching solution.

Please distribute this HOWTO widely and add to it if you have further useful advice.

Junkbusters has an excellent anti-telemarketing script that I'm going to put into employ when I move back to my home state in a few weeks.

It's got some pretty cool stuff. Like, if they don't answer certain questions correctly (or at all), you can tell them that they are now open to a lawsuit. And be right.

"The FCC said in a ruling yesterday that telephone companies can sell your name, who you call, and for how long you talk to anyone who is an "affiliate."

The question at this juncture is: goes the gov't have to pay? Or will they be able to get this information under the guise of "national security"?

Time to dust off that anti-telemarketers script...

Junkbuster has a good page on telemarketers and spam and other evils.

For those too lazy to click on the link, you basically just have to tell telemarketters to put you on their do-not-call list. It is against the law for them to call you again after that.

Internet Junkbuster amongst others.

Junkbuster is a lovely proxy server that can be used to block cookies, referrers, and adverts from different sites.

It compiles and runs under Windows and Unix - all in all very nice.

2) It only has meaning for a year, then they can call you again.

According to this passage of the TCPA, telemarketers must honor your do-not-call request for 10 years, not one:

vi. Maintenance of do-not-call lists. A person or entity making telephone solicitations must maintain a record of a caller's request not to receive future telephone solicitations. A do not call request must be honored for 10 years from the time the request is made. [as amended 7/26/95]

Junkbusters recommends that you confirm this right specifically with the telemarketer in the telemarketing script mentioned in several other comments.

2) It only has meaning for a year, then they can call you again.

According to this passage of the TCPA, telemarketers must honor your do-not-call request for 10 years, not one:

vi. Maintenance of do-not-call lists. A person or entity making telephone solicitations must maintain a record of a caller's request not to receive future telephone solicitations. A do not call request must be honored for 10 years from the time the request is made. [as amended 7/26/95]

Junkbusters recommends that you confirm this right specifically with the telemarketer in the telemarketing script mentioned in several other comments.

First, to answer the poster of this story. The TCPA forbids calling at the callee's expense. From this page:

In addition to prohibiting charges to protect residential privacy, the TCPA and our rules prohibit calls that impose costs on the called party (e.g., calls to paging and cellular numbers, facsimile advertisements).

As well you should. I do not believe the TCPA allows them any time whatsoever. If they hang up and immediately call back, that's their one allowed error for the next twelve months. After that, you can charge them $500 per call.

I also learned that these no call lists are only valid for one year at which time they can opt me right back in

That's not what the TCPA says. This page at the Direct Marketing Assocation says that telemarketers must:

# Maintain a "do not call list" and honor any request to not be called again. When such a request is received, the requester may not be called again on behalf of the business for whom the solicitation is made. One error is allowed in a twelve month period. Subsequently, the soliciting companies are subject to penalties. A person's name must be kept on the "do not call list" indefinitely.

I think the people who call just always try to weasel out of the terms and get you to agree. I try to be verify specific:

• I find out what company is calling me ("We're calling on behalf of Sprint..." "Yes, but what company do you work for?") and say they may not call me again. I keep track of that.
• I say "put me on your do-not-call list" rather than "take me off your list".
• If they say "it will take 30 days", I say "it had better not".

Actually, browsing that Junkbusters site, they have a script for you to keep by the telephone. Looks handy.

First, to answer the poster of this story. The TCPA forbids calling at the callee's expense. From this page:

In addition to prohibiting charges to protect residential privacy, the TCPA and our rules prohibit calls that impose costs on the called party (e.g., calls to paging and cellular numbers, facsimile advertisements).

As well you should. I do not believe the TCPA allows them any time whatsoever. If they hang up and immediately call back, that's their one allowed error for the next twelve months. After that, you can charge them $500 per call.

I also learned that these no call lists are only valid for one year at which time they can opt me right back in

That's not what the TCPA says. This page at the Direct Marketing Assocation says that telemarketers must:

# Maintain a "do not call list" and honor any request to not be called again. When such a request is received, the requester may not be called again on behalf of the business for whom the solicitation is made. One error is allowed in a twelve month period. Subsequently, the soliciting companies are subject to penalties. A person's name must be kept on the "do not call list" indefinitely.

I think the people who call just always try to weasel out of the terms and get you to agree. I try to be verify specific:

• I find out what company is calling me ("We're calling on behalf of Sprint..." "Yes, but what company do you work for?") and say they may not call me again. I keep track of that.
• I say "put me on your do-not-call list" rather than "take me off your list".
• If they say "it will take 30 days", I say "it had better not".

Actually, browsing that Junkbusters site, they have a script for you to keep by the telephone. Looks handy.

junkbusters.com

Don't some cell service providers give you the first minute free? If so 1) Do not answer anonymous calls, 2) If that fails, hang up within 60 seconds of screaming at them.

You can also follow the telemarketing guidelines set forth by Junkbusters including their script in hopes of getting some sort of compliance out of them.

Don't some cell service providers give you the first minute free? If so 1) Do not answer anonymous calls, 2) If that fails, hang up within 60 seconds of screaming at them.

You can also follow the telemarketing guidelines set forth by Junkbusters including their script in hopes of getting some sort of compliance out of them.

A magical phrase is, "Place me on your do not call list."

You just fill out your preferences and then it provides easy-to-print form letters that you sign, fold, staple, stamp, and mail.

I did this a year ago and I get very very little junkmail, and I NEVER get telemarketing calls.

Who could have thought it would be so easy!

These people also have some great (GPL) software for blocking banner ads, cookies, or any other ad-serving site you like.

You just fill out your preferences and then it provides easy-to-print form letters that you sign, fold, staple, stamp, and mail.

I did this a year ago and I get very very little junkmail, and I NEVER get telemarketing calls.

Who could have thought it would be so easy!

These people also have some great (GPL) software for blocking banner ads, cookies, or any other ad-serving site you like.

No it's not much money ($20 I think)

It provides (among other things):

• $500 private right of action
• Possible treble damages for willful disregard
• Regulation of hours for calling
• Regulation of when and how those automated compu-sales-pitch machines can be used.

DeanT

Check out JunkBuster.com's pages for more help with getting rid of those bastards (no affiliation).

Check out JunkBuster.com's pages for more help with getting rid of those bastards (no affiliation).

I filled this out last summer. Not only does it cut down the junk mail and telemarketing calls (I've had three calls since August, and can check my mailbox for bills once a week), but the reporting agency letters request that many casual inquiry requests not be honored.

If you request your credit report, you can deny access to specific companies (I banned Providian many years ago).

You're fighting an entity who simply doesn't care. It's like trying to annoy your PC by thumbing your nose at its error messages.

A telemarketer is a computer script with a human interface. All the telemarketer does is read a computer screen telling him exactly what to say and press buttons indicating your responses. There's absolutely no thought involved on his part, and so he doesn't care whether you try to annoy him.

The best way to deal with a telemarketer is, as soon as you're sure it's a telemarketer:

(1) Ask, 'Does your company have a don't-call list?'

(2) Ask, 'Would you please put my name and phone number on that list?'

I have never had a telemarketer say 'no' to either of those questions, and I hardly ever get a telemarketing call any more.

For more information, see JunkBusters at 'http://www.junkbusters.com/'.

If we did not, the firm was risking a $10000 fine. This is federal law.

I think the federal law you are talking about is the Telephone Consumers Protection Act. The relevant law and complications with using it are analyzed pretty well at Junkbusters U.S. Laws on Telemarketing.

The amount is not $10000, but $500.

Go to JunkBusters website for lots of information on how to beat the spam mailers, as well as other info on telemarketers, junk snail mail, and lots more. Fairly decent site...(no it's not my site)

Oh my God, Slashdot has ADS?! I hadn't noticed...

I absolutely hate advertising, and block it every chance I get. I've been blocking ads on slashdot for over a year now.

WHAT!!! Slashdot has ads??!?

(another satisfied junkbuster user)