God help us from telemarketers

The title says it all! I now phone charities that use telemarketers and promise never will I give a dime to them because of telemarketers. I am sick an tired of 'pitchmen' and 'pitchwomen' trying to shame me in giving money to their cause. these boiler house operations are nothing more than a scam and should be outlawed.

Those phoning for furnace/carpet/gutter cleaning get a little more polite rebuff.

Politicians are allowed 1 phone call, which after I read the riot act to them! During an election in the late 80's I even went to an election office of a provincial party and threatened to personally pull their phones out of the wall if I received another call from them (I was dealing with gravely ill relative at the time) and I never did!

The conservatives have phoned me at least 4 times in the past 6 months and now I let lose with a barrage of why I hate the Quisling Harper! No they can not count on my vote, nor will i give a dime to the party.

I am seriously considering disconnecting from TELUS altogether and just rely on my cell and get my Internet from the cable people!

Play your own game...

an uncle of mine suggested the 'vegetable game'

When said call comes and you do not want to ever hear from them again, after your hello and their starting speil simply say,
"carrot"

Then after they are flustered, and this is the hard part since you cannot laugh while doing this, say,
"potato"

if they persist in trying to communicate, you will need to keep at the vegetables - NO LAUGHING!

It only took one time at this and the telemarketers all stopped calling anytime near dinner time.

The only problem now is they seem to have found my cell number....

personally

...I prefer tp use the "end" button on my phone. Others may just want to put it back on the cradle.
Although I have used other tactics such as asking for the telemarketers full name, the name of the company, and what outfit contracted them. Then I politely tell them that if they call again I will sue their asses and their bosses, and then notify the company that contracted them that I will be boycotting their product. Then hang up. If I pick up my phone and say hello and their is no immediate answer I hang up. And others may correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it illegal in Canada, or at least BC to use automatic cycling dialing?

I hate the phone calls too.

But, I don't think being rude achieves very much.

Answer phone. "No thanks. Not interested"

Hang up. Don't sweat the small stuff.

Another approach that I find works (for me) because I don't let it get me stressed.

Write the CRTC

Like Canadians everywhere, our household is plagued with telemarketing phone calls every evening. We have stopped picking up the phone and let the answering machine respond. They NEVER leave a messge. We have been writing the CRTC to IMPLORE them to create a no-call list. I encourage everyone to do the same. Great article! Thanks Michael Geist and the Tyee!!

Go unlisted!

We've had an unlisted number and caller ID for as long as we've had our phone number, and I can count on one hand the number of calls we've received from telemarketers. The ones that slipped through were greeted by me saying "This is not a residence - it is a private hospice and you are disturbing some very sick people. Don't call again."

None of them ever did.

My number always has and always will be unlisted and available only to work and
personal friends. It's not given out to businesses, surveys, or any organization that I don't work for. If more people did this, telemarketers would have a lot more trouble annoying us all!

Another example

This is an example of the government failing to protect citizens from the ravages of greedy business people.

Another example is automobile quality. In practically all 50 states, there are lemon laws that require companies to provide a refund for lemons. If a new car spends 30 days in the shop in the frst year... money back, by law. Not so in Canada...

In fact, the only way we will ever get government to respond to our needs is to phone them often, repeatedly, and with regularity.

Especially at home during dinner, it is the most likely time to reach them. By all means, call your MP, MLA, Reeve, Councilor, Mayor, etc. Find out their home phone number, use it, and publish it.

It must be ok, because they have decided others can phone you.

Oh, don't be rude to the telemarketers, eh!

The telemarketer is only doing her/his job and they get paid if you buy what they are selling. It's an unfortunate job, but they are doing what they are paid to.

So, politely ring off or if you wish to pursue them, find out who is paying the telemarketers.

The worst thing, though, is to try to find out who is behind the recorded messages that you hear once or are left on your voice mail. These are frustrating interruptions.

Run up their bill

When I get the recorded calls, I put my phone on "hold" so they can complete their entire budgeted message with no one listening. If it comes in with a toll-free Caller ID (as many of them do), I transfer it to speed-dial and punch it every now and then.