Met Life telemarketers

[EricKei]

Now, the caveats. The Do not call registry only applies to residential phones, not fax lines or business lines. Polling organizations, survey organizations, charities, and political organizations are exempt.

I have come to loathe this bit of it, especially as an office worker, where it's quite rare for a day to go by without a robodialer trying to hit us up for something or other. I REALLY despise how political orgs can get around this (then again, guess who WROTE these laws?), they're some of the worst offenders. I've been on DNC for years now. Just as a side note -- if you get snailmail spam from credit card companies, that can be stopped, as well; I forget the name, but I believe I got the original link from the boards here.

I thought robodiallers were illegal?

Actually, even if they are that's a stupid question...

The only stupid question is the one that never gets asked ^_^

And yes, I believe they are. Doesn't stop too many, tho, just like how spam emails are illegal, and look how much good that does?

I like the "infinite hold time method, myself" -- I won't curse one out unless I get something ridiculous like 4 calls in 15 minutes from the same place AFTER I've told them Do Not Call. Telemarketers or not, they're still working stiffs like the rest of us

[sylvier]

So don't hang up on them. Just say "excuse me for a minute" right in the middle of their spiel, place the receiver down somewhere and keep them hanging. Guaranteed they won't be hanging for long, because they have to keep their "talk time" down.

[Nohbody]

I will never understand the telemarketer that yells at you in their attempt to sell you something

yea that always convinces me to buy from someone

Someone else, of course.

(Assuming, for the sake of argument, the item/service they're pitching is something you actually want or need.)

[RecoveringKinkoid]

They are illlegal.

Many places that run call centers haven't the first clue about telemarketing laws. Reputable ones (ha) usually do, but we all know not every company is reputable.

You MUST tell that not to call. And you must request that your number be put on their do not call list. Saying "not interested", "get bent", or hanging up does not obligate them to stop calling.

Once the magic words "do not call me again" leaves your mouth, legally, they can't really call you again. I mean, that does not mean that they won't, just that they can't do it legally. You can also make them send you a copy of their do not call policy and written notice that you have been removed from same. Legally, they have to provide all that if you request it.

[Rapscallion]

The weirdest one was automated, and I picked up the phone about 3 or 4 rings in, I'd say. Anyway, I didn't even get to say "hello?" because the automated voice was just blabbing away and like, in the middle of a spiel! What the hell? LoL.

I thought robodiallers were illegal?

Actually, even if they are that's a stupid question...

Rapscallion

[blas]

Well, that's a relief and a pain at the same time.

Someone is getting in trouble if the calls don't stop.

[Broomjockey]

I know they refresh their DNC list every so often and you have to re-sign up every time or they'll start calling you again.

The Federal US DNC list doesn't need to be re-upped any more.

[Darkforge]

I do have a question for the many phone jockeys out there, If you call and the customer requests you take them off your calling list don't you have to do that even if they aren't on the do not call registry??

To be honest, whilst they should, most people in sales call centres do not actually have access to be able to remove your number from a database, or to put you on a do not call list. I work doing admin for a telesales company and if we get a phonecall asking us to remove someone from our database we take their details and get one of the people with access to remove them from the database.

[BarbieGirl]

Well I just registered on the DNC list, I almost hope they call after the 31 days. I wouldn't mind some extra $$.

[blas]

The only problem with the DNC list is that it does not immediately go into effect, and you'll still probably suffer telemarketer calls until that period of time has passed. I know they refresh their DNC list every so often and you have to re-sign up every time or they'll start calling you again.

I didn't even think about it or worry about it until more people started ditching landlines and just using cell phones, then telemarketers were getting ahold of people's cell numbers and that's when my whole family signed up.

I just re-signed up a month or so back, and I've only gotten a few calls.

The weirdest one was automated, and I picked up the phone about 3 or 4 rings in, I'd say. Anyway, I didn't even get to say "hello?" because the automated voice was just blabbing away and like, in the middle of a spiel! What the hell? LoL.

[rerant]

Here's how I do it- I pick up the phone, find it's a telemarketer, hang up right away. There's absolutely no reason to give a telemarketer any of your time.

That's usually my tactic too. That or I ask them to please hold for a short moment while I get a pen to write down necessary information then just leave the phone off the hook until they give up.
I know their calls are timed so I doubt a rep wants to slow their call rate down waiting for me.
And I've got aaaaaaaaaaaaaaall day. Muahahahahaha

[Zippity Doo]

Here's how I do it- I pick up the phone, find it's a telemarketer, hang up right away. There's absolutely no reason to give a telemarketer any of your time.

[Jack Doe]

Jack Doe has it wrong, but only on that one fact. According to the FCC Do Not Call Registry Fact Sheet (http://fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/tcpa.html):

Thanks, I stand corrected and educated. I didn't know that the DNC registry modified that.

[EvilEmpryss]

Did that change when the DNC came in to effect or something? Because they formerly did have to, or else it became harassment or something like that.

Jack Doe has it wrong, but only on that one fact. According to the FCC Do Not Call Registry Fact Sheet (http://fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/tcpa.html):

Company-Specific Do-Not-Call Lists

Whether or not your home phone number or numbers are registered on the national Do-Not-Call list, the FCC requires a person or entity placing voice telephone solicitations to your home to maintain a record of your direct request to that caller not to receive future telephone solicitations from that person or entity. The calling company must honor your do-not-call request for five years. To prevent calls after five years, you will need to repeat your request to the company, and it must honor it for another five years (and so on). Your request should also stop calls from affiliated entities if you would reasonably expect them to be included, given the identification of the caller and the product being advertised. Unless your home phone number or numbers are registered on the national Do-Not-Call list, however, you must make a separate do-not-call request to each telemarketer from whom you do not wish to receive calls.

When you receive telephone solicitation calls, clearly state that you want to be added to the caller’s do-not-call list. You may want to keep a list of those persons or businesses that you have asked not to call you. Tax-exempt non-profit organizations are not required to keep do-not-call lists.

The ones I hate the most are the police/sheriff charity calls. I never want to say no on the off-chance that I may need their services in the near future and they hold a grudge.

[Broomjockey]

No, a telemarketer is NOT required by any law (US or any US state) to remove you from their lists if you tell them to.

Did that change when the DNC came in to effect or something? Because they formerly did have to, or else it became harassment or something like that.