Is there any way to avoid those annoying telemarketers? I paid the phone company a$1.00 a month but that only blocks the ones that are dialed by computer. I still get at least two or three calls each evening.
Get a cell phone as your only phone.
Ahh, telemarketers, the perfect revenge. You could spend money on teleblockers, but that’s not what I would do.
I actually had the greatest idea yesterday… I’m gonna find something useless, and try to sell it to them… as soon as I get them to say, they don’t want it, I say, “Thank you for your time” and hang up on them.
I mean, so long as it doesn’t become routine, it would really throw them off… at the very least, it would consume enough of their time that they would lose their sale-quota
Well, this really is a frequent topic here & you might search the board. I avoid them by not asnwering the phone when I see them on caller ID :-0
As an ex-telemarketer, my opinion is that the best way to stop getting calls is to politely and firmly ask to be placed on the do-not-call list. This will prohibit them from calling back within a number of years (depending on your state), and if you record the names of the companies you tell that to, you can file a complaint and make a few bucks if they call back.
Also, be sure you read the fine print whenever you give your phone number to a company (web site, product warranty card, etc.). You may need to check a box to keep them from selling your number.
Giving up after being turned down only once? Not much of a telemarketer, are you? 
I have a business, and get hit pretty hard by them. I’ve tried the “please take me off your list routine.” It works to some degree, but you don’t no more get them weaned, before a new group takes their place. There are several devices out now that work fairly good. I like this one in particular that I’m thinking of getting for my parents. It’s called a Trivox. Your phone won’t ring until the party inputs a two digit number that you’ve given only to family members and friends to. Only then does it ring. If the party wants to get a hold of you, and they don’t know the two digit number, they can still leave a message without knowing the code. Has anyone tried this device yet? It seems like the way to go for some residential users.
JZ
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Get an unlisted number. I once worked for a telemarketing firm that got numbers right out of the phone book.
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As ** Mr2001 ** said, use the Magic Words: “No thank you, and please remove me from your calling list.” Give them 24 to 36 hours to process this request. After that, threaten to call the BBB and the FCC if they continue to harass you. (Make sure it’s the same company that you asked removal!) It is the only real way to stop the calls.
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Opt out of any “sharing” of your information wherever possible.
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Don’t give your phone number to Radio Shack, or companies like that which ask for it.
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Never, ever, buy anything over the phone. You will immediately identify yourself as a “sucker.”
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Avoid giving your phone numbers to charities to which you donate.
An answering-machine message in Esperanto scares off most of mine…
twitch work fairly well… twitch
~Ferry, being a pain in everyone’s ass
Do what I do, order pizza from them. As soon as the telemarketing gnome calls me I order a large pie with the works from him. Every time he tries to sell me something I add to my order. It goes something like this:
Gnome: Hello sir I would like to tell you about our…
Me: Yeah, I’ll have a large pie with the works
Gnome: Um, sir this isnt a pizzeria , But I do have an exciteing offer for you
Me: Could you add 2 dozen wings to that pie
Gnome: Sir if you will just listen, it will only take a second
Me: Yeah, sure, could you add a 6 pack of pepsi to thoes wings and the pie
Ect, ect…
It usualy takes getting up to a large pie with the works, 2 doz. wings, a 6 pack of soda, a family size calzone, an order of garlic knots and a veal parm hero before the telemarketer gets pissed and hangs up on me.
We just screen all our incoming calls through our answering machine. Our friends and family know to speak after the beep. If it’s someone we want to hear from, then we pick up the receiver.
Mr. 2001 nailed it folks. Another method will get you nowhere or in trouble.
Does Texas have a Do Not Call list? Since the WI law went into effect on Jan. 1, the calls have almost stopped. Sweet.
Before the Do Not Call list, I would go by my Caller ID box - Out of Area or Unavailable calls did not get answered (they still don’t, but the number has gone way down since the 1st). Before Caller ID, I did the answering machine thing - people knew to say “pick it up if you’re there” and I’d answer, any other calls would not get picked up.
And on the few times I have picked up “Unavailable” calls, (after my SO’s Lasik clinic’s calls showed up that way), I have been told it can take 6-8 weeks to get removed…
I try to enjoy the process… asking questions can be entertaining:
“What are you wearing?”
“Will you be my friend?”
And for those magazine subscription guys:
“Do you have Bait magazine, the magazine of bait fishermen?”
“Do you have the Braille version of Playboy? I like to rub the dirty parts…”
One for life insurance guys:
“Could you hang on a minute? I’m changing my pacemaker batteries.”
If you have nothing better to do, it can be quite entertaining. Otherwise, the previous posters have it right. The do-not-call list approach works for the one you’re talking to. Now if I could only get rid of 'em BEFORE they call.
I have an idea with telemarketers.
When one calls you, act insane and tell them that they are the Devil, and why is (he/she) tormenting you. Make noises, voices, whatever. Tell them “SATAN, I REBUKE THEE, GET OFF THE PHONE, HANG UP, HANG UP!!” make the person hang up in fear.
OR, you can tell them, don’t put me on your “No call list”, please place me on the “Bitch, don’t you call this motherfucking house again list” OK?
I used to enjoy prank phone calls before the day of caller ID. Now the victims call you, and you have the right to do with them as you like.
Rudeness and insanity is an art.
Some states have a do-not-call list. It works pretty well! The list goes out quarterly and anyone who calls you can be fined.
The only ones who can call you are those you have transacted business with recently or requested information from.
I work nights and was forced to keep my phone off the hook during the day (my sleep time) because of the volume of telemarketing calls. Since being on the do-not-call list, 99% of the time, when the phone rings during the day now, it’s actually for me!
What Jeanster said.
MR2001 said “ask to be placed on the do-not-call list. This will prohibit them from calling back within a number of years (depending on your state), and if you record the names of the companies you tell that to, you can file a complaint and make a few bucks if they call back.”
This is true. But collection is usually done by way of small claims court, and the telemarketer must have assets in your local jurisdiction in order to make a judgemant enforceable.
There is a strong effort under way to implement a national do-not-call-list that anyone could subscribe to. This would probably eliminate 97% of the telemarketing calls you would receive. In the mean time, subscribe to the Texas do-not-call list, at www.texasnocall.com and you will solve your problems. It takes several months to activate. Cost is very low.
As always, use the 'net to search for solutions. A starting point with some state lists and other info can be found at www.privacycorps.com. Another useful source is www.bidstrup.com/phone.html.
Enjoy the peace and quiet!
To reduce the number of calls you get, you should:
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Tell all telemarketers that call you that you want to be put on their do not call list. Don’t wait for a pause in their pitch. Tell them to put you on the do not call list and they should end the call at that point.
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Get on your state’s do not call list. There’s a list of them at http://www.the-dma.org/government/donotcalllists.shtml. This prevents telemarketers within your state from calling you, but telemarketers in other states do not have to obey it.
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Sign up at http://www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offtelephonedave to get on a voluntary do not call list. The telemarketers who are part of the DMA are supposed to honor this list and not call you.
Doing pranks, although fun, will do virtually nothing at reducing your telemarketing calls.