# Never touching a Discover Magazine again **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 15, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039 "2011-11-15T19:16:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Normal\_Phase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Normal\_Phase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Normal_Phase)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/1 "2011-11-15T19:16:58Z")
I don’t know what unholy maggot-infested spawn of Satan company they outsourced their subscription renewal reminders to, but it needs to be dropped lock stock and barrel over Niagara Falls and then nuked from orbit for good measure. I’ve been getting calls from North Carolina for about two months now (maybe just nuke North Carolina?), to the tune of sometimes as many as five or six per day. They will not take no for an answer. They will not take fuck off for an answer. They will not take “never call me again” for an answer. They won’t let me talk to a supervisor; as soon as I offer the tiniest hint of anything but “sure, sell me more magazines at your fabulous low low price!”, they hang up on me. They never, ever, stop calling. We’ve been harassed by companies’ salespeople before (Cablevision is godawful), but never like this! Cablevision was like three or four phone calls per week at its worst. These guys beat that in a single day sometimes. Oh my god. I hate them. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/2 "2011-11-15T19:35:03Z")
Word. [National Do Not Call Registry](https://www.donotcall.gov/). ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/3 "2011-11-15T19:42:34Z")
5 - 6 calls /day for two months is not a sales technique. It is harassment, and IMO, borders on criminal behavior. I would not have put up with it for a week before tracking down those responsible, and possibly bludgeoning them to death with a frozen leg of lamb. ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/4 "2011-11-15T19:53:37Z")
Call blocking might work, here is the link: [http://www.ehow.com/how\_5025922\_use-call-blocking-at\_t.html](http://www.ehow.com/how_5025922_use-call-blocking-at_t.html) I have AT&T as a provider and it does work for me. I don’t believe you can block toll free calls though, i.e, 866, 877, 800, etc. Plus you need to have caller id so you know which number to block. I have successfully used it for some obnoxious callers. I have about 9 numbers now blocked and I don’t know if there’s a limit on it or not. It is not 100 percent fool proof as I have had people use another number and still call me. 😃 Call block is free, at least for me. All my numbers are also on the Do Not Call list, but I hear you have to keep renewing it, i.e. your number on the list does not last forever, so resend the emails to the DNC list every year or so. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/5 "2011-11-15T19:57:47Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Word. [National Do Not Call Registry](https://www.donotcall.gov/). Probably wouldn’t do a thing in this case. If these folks are calling about a magazine subscription renewal, then there is a previous business relationship, and the Do Not Call Registry won’t apply. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/6 "2011-11-16T00:12:38Z")
The way to deal with this is to get in touch directly with Discover Magazine and explain to them why you will never do business with them again. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/7 "2011-11-16T00:19:51Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > Probably wouldn’t do a thing in this case. If these folks are calling about a magazine subscription renewal, then there is a previous business relationship, and the Do Not Call Registry won’t apply. What I was going to say. ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/8 "2011-11-16T00:25:50Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > The way to deal with this is to get in touch directly with Discover Magazine and explain to them why you will never do business with them again. This. They may have no idea whoever they contracted with is calling this frequently and ignoring requests to take your name off the list. They should because they should have seeds they put on the list for QC, but it doesn’t always happen. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/9 "2011-11-16T03:02:59Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > …and possibly bludgeoning them to death with a frozen leg of lamb. So, your weapon of choice would be a mutton for punishment? ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/10 "2011-11-16T03:08:58Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > So, your weapon of choice would be a mutton for punishment? Oh, ewe. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/11 "2011-11-16T03:27:49Z")
I have never had that problem with Discover magazine. They do start sending me urgent renewel notcies 6 months before my subscrition is due, but I just throw them away. The magazines always manage to find their way to me, the wasted paper does bother me. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/12 "2011-11-16T03:31:41Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Oh, ewe. I can’t baaalieve the puns today. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/13 "2011-11-16T04:49:44Z")
Natl Geo has about the same policy. I have canceled my sub, told them to never call again, yes they call every month and send me a letter too. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/14 "2011-11-16T07:00:14Z")
I think a lot of these things are outsourced to Prisons, so the people who are calling probably don’t care much. Especially if they get a small bonus for subscription renewal. One thing you can do is answer the phone, listen for the connection, and then set the phone down. See how long it takes them to stop calling when all they get is white noise. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/15 "2011-11-16T12:19:22Z")
The real solution is to devise a system which recognizes the number, automatically answers the phone, and plays a deafening high-pitched shriek at the caller until the call ends. I sense a business opportunity for the budding entrepreneur… ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/16 "2011-11-16T13:04:41Z")
Just tell them they’ll have to read the entire magazine to you while you’re on the toilet before you can possibly decide whether to renew or not. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/17 "2011-11-16T14:17:12Z")
People still have land lines? How quaint! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/18 "2011-11-16T15:45:59Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > I can’t baaalieve the puns today. Yes, they are unbleatable. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/19 "2011-11-16T17:52:59Z")
> [@Normal\_Phase](#): > > I don’t know what unholy maggot-infested spawn of Satan company they outsourced their subscription renewal reminders to, but it needs to be dropped lock stock and barrel over Niagara Falls Wait, we don’t want your maggot-infested spawn of Satan joining our own maggot-infested spawn of Satan here in Da Falls. > [@](#): > > and then nuked from orbit for good measure. Oh, you should have said that in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039/20 "2011-11-16T19:54:43Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > Yes, they are unbleatable. Wool you please stop it! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-touching-a-discover-magazine-again/603039.md?page=2)