(202) 234-3930

[Cathulhu]

I got one of those last week, and the woman calling evidently had been told to keep on reading the script whether interrupted or not, so I just hung up on her. Haven't heard back; I usually manage to use my "We have a policy here of never donating or purchasing based on a telephone solicitation, please remove this number from your call list" before I hang up. I've put that statement on my parent's answer machine; it cut down a lot of the crap they used to deal with because Dad's deaf and Mom's reluctant to interrupt. Far too many of these SOBs use old-fashioned manners to victimize the elderly.

[Pottapaug1938]

When my daughter was a toddler or young preschooler (she turned 21 in June), and we got one of these calls, we'd say "Lindsay, it's for you,", and since she always wanted to be on the phone when we were using it, she was delighted to be handed the phone and allowed to chatter until that loud tone came on and she lost interest.

[ProfHenryHiggins]

I very rarely get the political telemarketers, but I do get Rachel from Card Member Services in a number of variations at times

I wait for the recording to end, press the number to talk to a live agent, and chew them out. I've been tempted to go beyond the tubgirl, goatse, lemonparty, meatspin level of sickening in their ear, but I'm not sure if that's legal to do. Two wrongs do not make a right.

One wonders what happens when they robocall an employee of the real Cardmember Services or of Visa, and they don't hang up?

[Demosthenes]

Between Rachel, Share, a robocaller selling workplace safety posters, a robocaller selling air duct cleaning, and political robocalls, I'm getting between five and twelve nuisance calls per day, every day including weekends. I've yet to talk to a human, even when I push the button or wait, and I've yet to be placed on their DNC list, even though I've pushed that button every time it's offered.

Playing games with telemarketers is a waste of time. They don't give a shit.

The newest calls I'm getting are from a spoofed Seattle number with a live person from "Microsoft customer support" who is reporting that my computer has a virus and [insert nonsense technical sounding mumbo jumbo here.] They just need to log on to my system and repair the problem.

[Demosthenes]

Just got a call one minute ago from a robocaller saying I'd won a trip to Disneyworld, and to stay on the line to give them my credit card number to hold the reservation.

[webhick]

Is it possible that someone you've pissed off is plugging your number into every website going so you get harassed by scammers/telemarketers?

[Demosthenes]

Probably not. The calls are coming in on our second line (the one we used to have for a fax) and it's not something I've ever given out.

Just got a call from Senior Medical Service who have a special package for seniors on Medicare like me.

[LaVidaRoja]

MAY not work for telemarketers but -- Our current number was previously assigned to an (apparent) deadbeat. We kept getting messages on our voice mail for "Paula" to call a particular number. I called, explained "Paula" no longer had this number. Was assured they would remove the number. Got another call. This time, I got full company name and business address. Wrote a letter to headquarters and to agent for process in my state telling them that any further calls for "Paula" to my number would result in legal action.

Calls stopped for two years. Then (apparently) company #1 sold list of deadbeats to another company. Again, a letter explaining that I was not notifying the SoS (since they had no local agent for service of process) as long as I did not get another call stopped the calls.

I suspect my method may have cost the companies involved more than the deadbeat owed.

The thing is, letters to corporate office, local agent for service of process, and, if necessary, Secretary of State for your state may well prove sufficently expensive that they will list your number as a "Do not call"

[Cathulhu]

Hey, LaVidaRoja, same thing happened when we moved some 18 years ago--our new phone had previously belonged to a deadbeat called Dennis. I put up with the annoying calls for about a month, then when they didn't stop calling, I demanded a callback number each time and raised merry hell. There is a certain advantage to being married to a pretty well-known (well, locally) member of the media; such places don't fear a lot, but they fear the media.

[Kestrel]

Between Rachel, Share, a robocaller selling workplace safety posters, a robocaller selling air duct cleaning, and political robocalls, I'm getting between five and twelve nuisance calls per day, every day including weekends. I've yet to talk to a human, even when I push the button or wait, and I've yet to be placed on their DNC list, even though I've pushed that button every time it's offered.

I tried all that too. All "push 2 for our DNC list" did was verify there was a human on my side of the line, which resulted in more calls. Pressing 1 for a live operator had the same effect.

But the block caller list worked. It's taken 5 months of blocking every unknown caller, but the tactic worked. Five months ago I was getting multiple calls every day. This month I got three calls. I haven't heard from Rachel in almost a week, nor anyone else I don't want to call me.

[Demosthenes]

they fear the media.

That is indeed the path I'm taking.

[Demosthenes]

The newest calls I'm getting are from a spoofed Seattle number with a live person from "Microsoft customer support" who is reporting that my computer has a virus and [insert nonsense technical sounding mumbo jumbo here.] They just need to log on to my system and repair the problem.

10/2/12 1:30 PM EDT
The FTC will announce "a law enforcement crackdown on a massive international computer tech support scam that allegedly swindled tens of thousands of consumers in six countries," at an 11 a.m. press conference tomorrow, according to the agency. Appearing with FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz will be Chris Chapman, chairman of the Australia Communication and Media Authority; Andrea Rosen, chief compliance and enforcement officer for the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission; and Frank Torres, director of consumer affairs and senior policy counsel at Microsoft.