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How To Profit From Telemarketing
jsprat writes: "From the Seattle PI: A man gets an automated message from a telemarketer. He complains. Two weeks later, he gets a check and an apology! In the article, another man is mentioned who claims to have collected $2650 dollars over the last year for illegal spam, faxes and automated calls. Another weapon to fight these clowns?" What's your personal cash-won record?
Telemarketers call YOU so THEY can make money....
Ben Livingston has a web page with a lot of good hints for anyone interested in suing these people. He also has a complete list of everyone he's sued, the outcomes, and in some cases, even a scanned image of the check they sent him.
I hate to brag, Timothy, but I think you're being just a little short-sighted about this.
Carousel is a lie!
The key here is persistance. Its amazing how almost anyone will crumble when faced with a legal threat. Think about the way Scientologists went after slashdot, thats how I go after spammers. I may even be on thin legal ice so to speak, but the mere threat of the law usually sees these guys settle. At the moment, its cheaper for them to do this.
Its also worth noting that I am Canadian which makes it a whole lot more complicated (and therefore expensive) from a legal perspective.
I would urge slashdotters to take up my hobby, it takes about 1hr/week and can be very lucrative.
and we just got (pinky in mouth) One Million...oh wait, this is enemy territory....never mind...
You know, $500 is not a lot. Especially compared to the actual cost of a lawsuit. The number of people who know their rights, and properly preserve the evidice is low. It might just be part of business-as-usual for YourHomeCareer.com to pay those who know the law.
They get PR (and all PR is good PR), come across as "ok, we did something wrong but we're good upstanding people who are willing to be good members of the community and make amends." They come out smelling like roses for a fairly paltry sum. It's a wonderful thought.
=Blue(23)
LITTLE GIRL: But which cookie will you eat FIRST? C. MONSTER: Me think you have misconception of cookie-eating process.
(I was on the fence about putting this out as someone may start doing it, but...)
I received a phone call a few months ago. The call rang once and ended before I could pick it up. When I checked the Caller ID (never go home without it) it had a number outside of my area code with a label, "Prize Claim Dept" attached.
When I checked the area code it was somewhere in the Carribean. I have seen more than a few jobs listed in the classifieds that had similar numbers, charging $20 a minute (legally) without warning.
This was pretty crafty, though. First, they get you to initiate the call, making it much easier for them to get your money. Second, if there ever was a problem, they could easily argue that they dialed the wrong number, realized it, then hung up. They didn't expect you to call them.
Ethically lacking, but pretty crafty.
Well, you wouldn't necessarily get $10000, but the telemarketing firm would have to pay that in fines if you request that you take your name off their list and they do not do that.
I've worked for a telemarketer before (yes, I have been to hell and back), and I k now for a fact that we were required to immediately, upon request, take a person or business' name and information off our list without any questions asked. If we did not, the firm was risking a $10000 fine. This is federal law. If a telemarketer continues to bug you after requesting that your name be taken off this list, just remind them if this little law.
// file: mice.h
#include "frickin_lasers.h"
so I wouldn't know about using the law to get back at spammers (as in the article), but here in redneck country we have much more effective methods.
For example, just last Tuesday I got $574 dollars and a $200 Rolex from a salesman who failed to notice the "no solicitors" sign on my front gate. He said he'd sue for excessive force and I said he's welcome to have his other eye blacked out too, and to get the fuck out of my house before I take that spiffy suit to go with my new rolex.
Must be new to the area.
See this page for a method that would surely destroy the telemarketing industry if enough companies did it.
Here is more information on the state of Indiana's anti-telemarketing law that was recently passed, and everything that goes along with it.
We might not have daylight savings time, but at least we are trying to keep out telemarketers. I suggest you look over the text of the law before making any comments, since it provides many ways for people to legally call you, such as not-for-profit orgs using their own volunteers, etc. Anyway, I think it has helped tremendously, and I'm still waiting for a business to get sued over it to really enforce it. (That will be the true test of the law.)
I also believe it is being challenged by a number of groups right now. At least it is a step in the right direction. Heck, the attorney general based his entire last campaign on this issue alone.
What?
I saw an ad last night for some device which I believe was sold by the sharper image which you hook up to your phoneline. The device then dectects if an autodialer has been used and then claims to delete you from their database.
As I recall it was called the telezapper. And costs around 50 bucks.
http://www.telezapper.com/
From their website:
The TeleZapper is designed to "zap" calls made by predictive dialer computers by doing two things: first, by disconnecting predictive-dialed calls before you can be connected to a live telemarketer and second, by deleting your phone number from telemarketing computer lists. Whether the TeleZapper will affect computer-dialed calls from other sources depends on the type of computer equipment and how that equipment is being used. Therefore, it may also "zap" calls from other organizations that use predictive dialer computers, such as charitable organizations, blood banks, public safety and service organizations, market researchers, opinion and political pollsters, and academic institutions.
They "delete" you from the database by sending a line disconect signal. I don't know of anyone who has used this device so I can't attest to how well it works.
Bring back the old version of slashdot.
When ever telemarketers call me, i usually play songs on the keypad. mary had a little lamb usually goes over well
--JonnyBlog
Does Canada have a similar law regarding to this as well?
kawai
File a separate suit over each incident in which they called you illegally. I would guess that the small claims court's limit would allow for a $500 suit. (Wouldn't it?)
It'll be slightly more of a pain in the ass for you, and you'll have to pay the seven filing fees, but it's probably easier and cheaper than hiring a lawyer and going to a full regular court over it.
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Pennsylvania just passed a law that could make telemarketers liable for up to $3000 for each call. The new law allows residents to be placed on a "Do Not Call" list. The list will be made publicly available to telemarkets, and if they make the call then they get zapped with the fine. Here is the press release.
Here in NJ, when most of these companies are located out west or south, it's easy. I sue for 499 a pop, they never show, auto judgement for me, and if they refuse to pay I can fill out and file for free an asset seizure on their bank accounts.
The deal is that anything sent to my business domain name is for business (in or out). I clearly have a statement at the bottom of the site that states that unsolicited email will result in an hourly charge, with a two hour minimum for my services and time. The judges here crack up when they see that, but they have yet to rule against me. I just don't do it enough to be annoying to them.
Specifically, I have filters with auto responders in place stating that the email was unsolicited and that I reserve the right to bill them for time and expenses per my companies standard policy. My email details that they should remove me from their list and immediately disclose the source from which they acquired my private email (which is NOT listed on the site or given out freely on the net). If they don't respond, fine, if they respond negatively or I recieve email from them again unsolicited, I sue. If they actually hand over their source for the mail address (a few have), I sue that company for disclosing my private email and information without permission (that suit is automatic by the way in NJ).
Most just remove me and don't send any more mail, a few are irate and spam me some more or repsond directly in a derisive way (they get sued), a couple have given me their sources and remove me from the list, and a few even apologize (usually the larger, more legitimate outfits).
So far I have spent about four hours in court (I only make 175-200 an hour, so I profited here) and about six hours on the net or working towards filtering and responding. I laugh my ass off at the ireate repsonses, and even more when I have their bank acount frozen until they pay their legal obligation to me settled by default in small claims court.
> What's your personal cash-won record?
Telemarketing his highly profitable. I *can* make 2000 dollars
a week, working from home, and being my own boss.
Even a wyoming highschool dropout can do this
If things go as planned, I will retire at the tender age of 35, married to a russian
woman, and grow my penis upto 25".
--
When you know it is a telemarketer, just set the phone next to any of the following for an extended period of time.
Nahhh.... too easy
You should piss about with them insted. eg
Them: Selling double-glassing (very common in UK)
You: Sorry mate, my house dosnt have any windows (over time, tell em you live in a nuclear bunker or something)
Them: "I'm carrying out a survay for..."
You: HAHA.... so am I !!! What are the chances of that!!!
Just keep 'em on the line and wind them up for as long as possable until they tell you to fuck off and slam the phone down! :-)
The other alternative is yor very own free porn chatline. Just talk dirty for a bit and see how long it takes 'em to hang up
Anyone quoted by a reporter knows how little they understand
Don't believe what you read is the truth.
Unfortunately, most people don't know this, and are buying devices that quietly send a signal that sounds like the 'number disconnected' tone when you pick up the line, just to cut down on the problem. Make the telemarketers shell out the cash, not yourself!
Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
I think I speak for all the people just trying to spend a pleasant evening at home when I say,
We don't care how telemarketers feel.
They don't mind interupting our evenings, we don't mind being rude in return.
Especially the auto-dialers!
Napster-to-go says "Fill and refill your compatible MP3 player", which is a lie. It's not MP3. It's WMA with DRM.
Anyone else find it extremely funny that someone called 'prisoner' also works for the RIAA? :)
Endless arguments over trivial contradictions in books written by ignorant savages to explain thunder in the dark.
One more this. This statement: "behave like an adult, and you'll curtail the calls you get" is absolutely not true.
I've had much better success being unfriendly and threatening than I have when I've tried to be engaging and nice about it.
Also, Mr. Offended Telemarketer, telling your target market to "act like adults" is pretty arrogant. Perhaps your industry should try acting like adults, rather that making crank calls for a living.
Napster-to-go says "Fill and refill your compatible MP3 player", which is a lie. It's not MP3. It's WMA with DRM.
You know, the company might actually be happy about the whole thing.
Many people read their website name in that article.
Sometimes even negative publicity is good publicity. Unfortunate but true, they are likely to get some sales as a result of that.
Just because it CAN be done, doesn't mean it should!