A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 Is This True?

Hi everyone ~

This is an email I received this morning about cell phones and telemarketers. I'm wondering if it is true? Does anyone know?

Merme

CELL PHONE NUMBERS

JUST A REMINDER... 23 days from today, cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls.YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS... These telemarketers will eat up your free minutes and end up costing you money in the long run.

To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888/382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years.

PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS; Or you can register on line at:
http://www.donotcall.gov> www.donotcall.gov

I dont know that number are going to be released, but there is a National DO NOT CALL list that you can add ALL of your number to and telemarketers are not supposed to call them. If they do call on a DO NOT CALL number you can report them. I am not too sure what consenquences they get for that, however.

Just to be safe, I would put cell numbers on that list. I have our cells plus my home line on the DO NOT CALL list.

Merme,
I put all our numbers on the do not call list too- sure helped all the telemarketer calls- only ones that can call you now are the ones you have actually dealt with before--- but I have caller ID and just don't answer most of those ... that reminds me need to add hubby's cell to that- forgot when we got it...Thanks!

Merme (and all) ~

I always check out e-mails such as you received on snopes.com - the urban legend website. They discuss the validity of e-mails that are circulating. Here is what they have to say about this subject:

snopes re:cell phone directory

It's rather ambiguous, but worth checking out...

Although we do not use cell phones, our home number gets FLOODED with telemarketers. The sheer volume that get through each day is maddening.

It can take me quite a while to get to where the phone is located, especially if I am laying down or all the way in the new family room. Race to the phone and it is a recorded message or a hang up call or somebody trying to sell me something I wouldn't use in a million years.

When I went to the link I posted above, it said you could also register home phones and so I did. Even if it only cuts down on half of what we get, I will be a very happy girl indeed!

Merme

Merme... If you are up to it, you should keep track of who is calling and let them know you want to be removed from their list. They have to remove you and cannot call you back if you tell them not to. And let them know you are now on the DO NOT CALL list.

When my service was AT&T they told me they were not going to make cell numbers public as in any directory. But since this Mickey Mouse Cingular bought it out it would not surprize me at all if they sold the cell numbers. Just waiting for my contract to expire.

JV,
The companies don't have to sell the lists- some of them use auto dialers-- call every concievable # consecutivly- and they only get a live person on if someone or a machine anwers - thats the hangups on voice mail or your machines-
I used to work for ATT- in my other life - so glad I got out before they sold out... was one of those long distance operators "Thanks for using ATT.... " liked the job - hated the over manageing they started doing before I "retired"
LOL!

Oh, man...you guys are trying to get me RILED this morning!
First the Wal-Mart topic over in coffeehouse, and now telemarketers.


We get more telemarketing calls here because this is a business phone...and business phones are exempt from the "Do Not Call" list. In the last hour I have had 8 telemarketing calls. I usually don't even answer them. Awhile ago one ("CheckRedi" and out-of-state number on caller I.D.) called 3 times right in a row. I finally answered it the third time because I wanted to cuss out the person that was calling. Well, tough luck, because it was a recorded message.

That's why this doesn't work...
You can't report them without knowing who they are. You have to have the company name, and contact information, blah, blah...If you happen to get a human telemarketer instead of a recorded message, and ask them the contact info, they won't give it to you. I went 'round and 'round with MCI once over this, because I asked them to take me off their call list, which they are supposed to do when you ask them, but they kept calling me...sometimes 6 or 8 times a day. I got all the necessary paperwork from the attorney general's office to report them...that in itself was a hassle, let me tell you. I filled it all out like I was supposed to, mailed it back...

Oh, man...gonna just stop right here.

O.K...now someone needs to bring up the subject of people driving 20 miles an hour on the interstate in the passing lane talking on a cell phone, totally oblivious to the line of cars behind them trying to pass...and the near wrecks from people trying to squeeze around them on the right side...



Sorry...better go up my dosage!

Oh I have had that happen as well Cindy, I just decided to take the other road and let them talk and pretended I was very interested in what they has to sell until I got all of their info. After I actually had the info and they knew I did, the calls stopped.

Come on over to 46 adn have a hot cuppa coffee!

ANd they are headed to Wal-mart!!!! Or they pass you just to turn left. After a couple of those I am ready to drive up somebody's tail pipe!!!!

I have all my numbers on do not call lists. I don't know if their is an actuall cell phone list, I don't think so. But I played it safe and I rarely get telemarketers. The do not call list has worked for me.

Glad to say I don't get any telemarkaters calls since gettign on the Do not call list. Had one from a so called charity group last december I went down in person and talked to their CIO (cheif Idiot officer) and told him I knew he was not a charity and was ripping people off. My phone has not rang since. Nana I know they don't have to sell the numbers just would not be surprized if Cingular did. Hope sprint is better. My maine thing with cingular they want to charge me to change over and I refuse to change because their Cingular service wont go where AT&T's service did. And that is an improvement?

Whenever I get a telemarketer call I disguise my voice to send like a Very Deaf 85 year old man. I repeat back all the information to them but twisted slightly. If they say,"You have been pre-approved for a credit card with a $5000.00 credit limit.", I say something like, "Ehh? A free credit card and $5000.00 completely free?" They apologize and try to re-explain the offer but when I can never get it quite right, they apologize and put me on their no-call list themselves!!! I then invite them to come over anytime and visit me that I'm 85 years old and get sorta lonesome. I never hear from that company again. I LOVE getting telemarketer calls now just so I can harrass them, LOL. Now I don't get them anymore. PS. I worked as a telemarketer for several years myself and HATED every second of it. Most of the telemarketers themselves do, too.

I ALWAYS do this if they get through, and if Mark forgets to tell them I get all mad....They are required to remove you from their list....I worked in telemarketing for 5 years(although I was one of the lucky ones that didn't make outgoing phone calls, people called me)....

I added my name to the do not call list very early on, and I hardly get any telemarketers anymore...it's great.

Thornius, great story! I like that idea very much.

Usually, if someone calls and asks to speak to me in a way that alerts me that they really have no idea who I am (mispronouncing my name, for instance) I say "No one here by THAT name, sorry!" and hang up!

I can be such a brat, it seems.

Merme

Usually, I figure they're wearing head sets so I just scream.

I got a call once from a replacement window outfit. I told her I didn't have windows. She countered that they also sold replacement doors. I told her I didn't have doors. She asked how I got into my house. I told her I didn't have a roof and used a rope ladder. She asked what I did when it rained. I told her I invited the neighbors over for a swim.

--

The real blame goes those who are stupid enough to ever buy anything ever from a telemonkey.

--

If it were up to me? I'd have have a giant wood chipper built to deal with them.

LMT love it thanks.

Hi all!
I had an online buddy once who was all gung-ho over privacy rights. His specialties (pet peeves)were telemarketers and supermarket club cards.

Anyway, he told me all about how you can make the companies pay for continuing to call you. Like someoine said, you DO have to keep very good records. First you have to tell them to put you on Do Not Call. (Every time they call, you have to keep a record of the company, who you spoke to, time of call, and I don't know what-all else.) After that, they have a grace period to take you off their list, I think it's 3 months. Then, if they call you 3 more times (and you make a record of every call), they have to pay you a fine. I don't know how much it is, but it's something fairly substantial, like 500 or 1000 bucks. My buddy said he would get a few fees a year doing this.

Geegeeburr!!!!


Oh, it is good to see you on, my friend!

How are you feeling?

Merme

GEEGEEBURR!!!!!!!

i have block'em on my phone---no telemarketers!

Yes, I remember you have that, Nancy. Once or twice in the past year or so I've gotten that message that your line doesn't receive calls from the bad guys. I hang up, dial again and get through no problem. I don't mind the rare occasion misfire of the system if it prevents you from being harassed "99 & 44/100%" of the time!

Merme

ty, merme! glad you don't give up easily!