Why Even Have a "Do Not Call List?"

My household is listed on the National "Do Not Call" List.

Yet still, my phone rings all day long from toll free numbers and telemarketers anyways. Calls from disguised numbers. Seriously, it has gotten to the point to where no one even uses our house phone because of it except for when we absolutely need to.

Why even have a "Do Not Call" list? Apparently it doesn't work very well.

I get this call at work, at least 3 times per week.
I've put my phone, and the main number on the do not call list.
Yet I still get calls.

It's from a company that sells extended warranties on vehicles..
"your vehicle's standard warranty is bout to expire, stay on the line to talk to a rep about extending this for an additional two years"

Something like that

Anyone else getting those?



So now, I get a rep on the line, and tell them I own a 1909 Model-T Ford.
Today his response was "let me transfer you to "neverland" insurance company"

Same thing here, unfortunately. Now, I only pick up the phone if I recognize the caller id. If you call here and are listed as private, or other, you won't get through.

Sometimes a relative from out of state will try to call, and it will come up as " unavailable", and it won't get answered. That sucks, but I'm tired of the telemarketing.

I forgot to add my home phone is not listed in the phone book either. I always give a fake number whenever I order anything online. I think it is just random generated calls.

[edit on 15-7-2008 by virraszto]

Does anyone receive calls from "unknown name - unknown number"? They have been calling my house several times a day everyday yet when I answer the phone theres no one on the other line. Because of this I ignore the phone entirely when I see the caller ID and see that the call is from "unknown". I would really appreciate any information that could identify what this is and how to end it. Thank you.

We are on the 'do not call list' and it keeps about 85% of the calls out, but just like virraszto, I always check the caller id first. If I don't recognize it I don't usually answer, and anyone that I care about has my cell # and will call that if I don't answer at home.

I do get about six calls a week from a frickin fax machine. Now that irritates me, it's always the call I seem to forget to check id for. If I do get an unlucky sales call I always ask for their info first, like I'm really interested and then inform them that I appreciate the info because I want to make sure that it is accurate when I calll the District Attorney.

Rush

Remember that non-profits and political action groups do not have to abide by the do not call list. Also, watch those privacy notices when you do business with someone. Often they will state that if you do business with them, that they will allow third parties access to your number unless you tell them no.

The poster above me is correct, but the problem is that you get calls from piratically everyone.

The Do Not Call List is for law abiding business people. The ones that aren't buy lists in which ignore the do not call list.

It's not educated, but my guess is 75 percent of companies run business illegally in one fashion or another. I will say 100 percent of 50 companies I've worked for bent laws. It's just so ridiculous that everyone thinks they have to bend laws to make a profit and gain a competitive edge.

Unfortunately there is no solution to the problem because it is like spam. It is to small of a problem for law enforcement to hassle with.



[edit on 16-7-2008 by MrMysticism]

Indeed, many companies do ignore the Do Not Call list. Two were just busted by the FTC:

FTC Enforces Do-Not-Call Rules, Fines Cos. $95,000

first time someone calls and they say they are from a sales company trying to sell me something,

no thanks Bye, hang up the phone.

calls again

i am very abusive, i know its wrong but if they dont get the hint the first time
then they deserve it.

Here is the fool proof telemarketer response...

You have to pick up the phone, wait for someone to answer then tell them this word for word.

Hello you have reached a home that is registered on the national Do Not Call List. your violation and number has been recorded, the fine for such violation is $1500.00 USD. Please stay on the line to receive payment instructions. Failure to stay on the line is also a fine of $1500.00 USD. Thank you for your cooperation. Please transfer this call to your supervisor for immediate payment instructions.

If they haven't already hung up on you continue on with this sharade. If you do get a supervisor tell them about the fine and ask for him to confirm a corporate mailing address where you will send the invoice for the violation.

Then go further and ask for their supervisor. Try anything to get someone really in charge on the line and demand to know where they bought your phone number from and see if you can get a phone number from them. If you can call this number and demand a payment for selling your private information to other companies and include the $1500.00 fine.

More than likely you won't get past the telemarketer. But they won't be calling back ever again.

Another way is to let the telemarketer tell you all about the product, ask several questions, really get to know what they are trying to sell you, wait till he thinks your going to buy, then tell him your not interested and to take you off of the list. This way you have wasted several minutes of his time and you have saved another person from being disturbed by these companies.

[edit on 7/17/2008 by whatukno]

We have been experiencing a frustrating increase in telemarketing calls lately at my home. They call about every thirty minutes during business hours whereas it used to be about once a week.

This is what I would like to know: What in the world is going on with the calls that start out with a voice recording like, 'Hello! Please stay on the line to hear information about...!' Seriously. Bad business move. At least with a live salesmen you can 'guilt trip' some people into buying something. Even people like me who try to be polite at all costs don't think twice about slamming the phone down on a recording.

Thank goodness for caller ID, I suppose. But even then when the answering machine picks it up you hear their auto recording ramble on for 60 seconds.

GOD! I hate those! I hate when I initiate the call and end up having to speak to a robot, so I REALLY hate it when robots call me first. I feel you on that one!

That's odd....I'm on the DNCL and haven't had one in years

-Kyo