How to Handle Political Telemarketing?

TheOtherChimeraTwin writes "Slashdot has touched on telemarketing in the past. The No Call lists work pretty well for me except for a flood of political calls. They guys use automated dialers with recorded messages and use bogus caller id information, calling back multiple times. Political surveys are done by real people, but they hang up on me if I stray from answering their questions. Does anyone have a solution better than just hanging up on these slime? I'd just vote for their opponent, but sometimes I'm getting called by both sides. The distraction of these calls is annoying and the problem is only going to get worse."

Comments

An answering maching is your friend.

[Maclir]

If we get a call from a number we don't recognise, or is blocked from giving the caller id, we let the answering machine take it. If the person starts to leave a message, and we want to talk to them, we pick up. But telemarketers hang up as soon as the hear a machine.

Tips

[tonyr1988]

Unfortunately, political groups are exempt from the "Do Not Call" lists. I don't have a home phone, so I have the joy of not having to worry about any telemarketers. From various web sources, it looks like there's no real action you can take (legally) to proactively defend yourself. However, I've found two possible solutions:

• When you do get a telephone solicitation, find out on whose behalf they are calling, ask that you be permanently removed from their calling list, and tell them that you are writing this information down. If they call back, demand to talk to a manager and complain and/or call the Consumer Protection Division of your local State Attorney General's office.
• Consider products such as the Telezapper and these.

Get a cell phone

[c0d3h4x0r]

What the hell are you doing still using a land line, anyway?

Cancel your land line and get a cell phone (and remember to put a text-messaging block on it). You won't receive ANY telemarketing calls.

Re:Hang up

[deadhammer]

Won't work. Had to work telemarketing about five years ago (not the high point of my life), and they DO distinguish between "no thanks" and "do not call". "No thanks" simply means you're getting recycled back into the "2nd run" call list. "Do not call" means just that, if they violate it it's a $500.00 fine. So here's what you say:

"Let me interrupt you. I do not appreciate these calls, period. I'm not interested in your (service/product/political pitch). Put me on your Do Not Call list, and I forbid you from sharing my phone information with affiliates or third parties. This WILL take effect immediately, I will take action if I get another call. Thank you. *click*"

If they try to sell you that "Our systems process do not call requests within thirty days, you may get another phone call" bullshit, inform them that do not call requests are immediate. If you get another call, you will take legal action and report it to the authorities. They DO have to record their calls, so they will have a backlog including the DNC request. Just be firm, tell them to put you on the do not call list, reassure them that you expect it to be immediate, and hang up. Don't take any shit from them, and you'll be fine.

Re:Do what I did

[nutrock69]

> The downside to doing something like this is that you can get someone fired...

These are Telemarketers who consider themselves exceptions to the various "Do-Not-Call" laws. Where's the downside?