Telemarketers, Solicitors, and Other Forms of Low Life

The scam about the car service warranty thing did take in a lot of unsophisticated people, besides annoying millions of others. I think it was adjudicated in the new york courts. I suppose I should do a search, but not this evening.

I do find I get less calls from humans on all this kind of stuff - it is mostly recordings. My latest annoying one is from Aarp, which is a flooder with mail too, but I am a subscriber so they have a legal right. I just have to click off on that on their website, just as I do on other websites.

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@Phoenix32890,

Phoenix32890 wrote:

[...] As a result, I have listed my phone number with the government's "Do Not Call" number. [...]
https://www.donotcall.gov/

We have virtually the same thing in Canada:
National Do Not Call List

One problem that lists like this do not solve:
Phone calls made by automated calling machines. I don't know any way to stop those.

Eva wrote:

"Sorry, we're not interested." <click>

Me: Hello (listening for 5 seconds)
"[click]"

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@Phoenix32890,

I feel the same way as you, Phoenix.

The Conservative Party has called me so many times, I don't know what they think they are going to accomplish because each and every time I tell them straight out that I do not wish to hear from them nor do I want them to call again.

And no, I've not ever donated to a charity due to their calls.

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@JPB,

Quote:

really... I'm stunned.

You, of all people here, think that individuals who take a job to earn some money to feed themselves and possibly their families (and have to endure the reactions of those they call in the process) meet the definition of lowlife?

JBP,

I know people in a vulnerable situation who work hard make an honest living. They clean houses or do construction or take jobs in restaurants or sell food-- all real jobs doing something worthwhile

People who have real jobs work (usually hard) to produce something, or provide a service that has value. This is a lot different then sitting on your butt trying to extract as much money as possible from unsuspecting people.

I suppose if there is really no choice, I would understand someone doing what it takes. I don't think this is the case with these people.

I would rather my kids be strippers than telemarketers.

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@ebrown p,

even being a prostitute or a hedge fund manager is less honorable than being a telemarketer.

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while I do not like telemarketers as a group, I have been on the other side.

many telemarketing jobs are not about scams, and honest folks needing work fill these thankless positions not to scam, but to meet a quota and keep their jobs. (very high turnover)

it takes a unique skill set and very thick skin to succeed in telemarketing, and it is an abused tool a lot of times.

don't hate the soldiers, hate the system that allows the abuse.

that said, I am a telemarketer's nightmare if they catch me in the wrong mood.

(i still play fair)

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@ehBeth,

Don't hate the person...................I hate the job that they are doing. As far as people attempting to pull themselves up, there are other minimum wage jobs that are not, by their very nature, obnoxious. I think that people need to reject these jobs. If no one would take a telemarketing job, the field would dry up. That's good old American capitalism. Supply and demand.

Years ago, I finished grad school, and could not get a job, as we were in a recession. I took a job in an employment agency. I believed that I could be helpful in matching the right people to the right work.

What I learned was that the owner of the agency had no interest in matching people to jobs appropriately. His only interest was to get the candidate to take a job, any job, in order to get his commission. He even taught us to deceive people into accepting jobs that were not right for them, just to get the "sale".

As soon as I caught on to what he was doing, (about 6 weeks) I quit. Later, I learned that he had been indicted for illegal practices.

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@Reyn,

Reyn wrote:

Phone calls made by automated calling machines. I don't know any way to stop those.

I would like to know what other's experience is with this. How wide spread is it?

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@Reyn,

pandemic

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@Reyn,

Used to be pandemic here too, or maybe endemic. Thank God the elections are over. Like charities, political calls bypass the do not call registry.

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@Reyn,

Quote:

Reyn wrote:
Phone calls made by automated calling machines. I don't know any way to stop those.
I would like to know what other's experience is with this. How wide spread is it?

I get these calls both at home and at work. Not so many at home, since we're on two Do-not-call lists, both Federal Govt's and Florida's. At work (a public library), I get maybe 2 per week.

The only good think about these automated calls is: The technology is not perfected. If I pick up the phone and do not get a response within, say, 2-3 seconds, I know it's a computer calling me, not a person, and just hang up.

I say Hello twice, then hang up if no response. Easy Peasy. None of the computers (automated) has ever called me back a second time.

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@ebrown p,

This is part of the 20%

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@Reyn,

It's been especially bad this summer on my home line.

It's especially annoying when the automatic messages leave messages on my voicemail.

I'd be rather pleased if the practice became illegal. Probably won't happen, but I'd be pleased!

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@mushypancakes,

There is a way to make automated call more expensive for the jerks who use them.

I always answer the automated calls. If they think they are talking to a person... then they switch you to an operator.

An operator costs money. You should make sure it costs as much money to bother you as possible.

When I get an automated call... I either wait to talk to the operator (and take as much of her time as I can)... or I at least leave the phone on the table (and off the hook) for a couple of minutes.

1 Reply

@ebrown p,

I don't think leaving off the hook works (not here at least), as the call disconnects after a period of time.

1 Reply

@Reyn,

Yes, that's true.

That made me laugh though Ebrown. I like the way your mind works.

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@mushypancakes,

mushypancakes wrote:

It's especially annoying when the automatic messages leave messages on my voicemail.

I'd be rather pleased if the practice became illegal. Probably won't happen, but I'd be pleased!

There are state and federal laws that do prohibit such actions.

1 Reply

@TTH,

Quote:

There are state and federal laws that do prohibit such actions.

Unfortunately, that does not seem to stop many unsavory telemarketers.

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@Phoenix32890,

I think the laws have made an impact (don't know how much) in the state I am in. I've never filed a lawsuit against any company, but others have.

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Back in the day, I supervised phone rooms. Did a lot of "fund raising." If I recall, we got like 80% and the charity, police, firemen, American legion whatever go the rest. I also worked the phones. I was very good at it but thank God, I never have to go back to doing that.

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Telemarketers, Solicitors, and Other Forms of Low Life

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