Zero answered that way back when. They buy your phone number from anywhere you stick it on with a subscription. Of course, phone companies have a win-win situation.
My family used to have problems with this one telemarketing company, we would answer the phone and we would get a message “Please stay on the line for our next available representitive.”
I finally got sick of it, so this is what happened:
Automated Message: Please stay on the line for our next available representitive.
Me: waited
Representive: Hello.
Me: Clears throat Hello, nobody who lives here really cares, please hold on until sombody gives a shit. CLICK
I don’t think it’s necessary to be mean to them. When they start talking, all you have to do is say you’re not interested, thank you, and hang up. They’re human beings too, just doing a job and yeah I know how annoying it can get but I try to think of how I would reacte if I was the telemarketer. I wouldn’t feel too good. I like Vicki’s 2 second rule too. I used to do something similar.
My main problem was that they were asking me to hold on when they were the ones who callled me, and the fact that they had kept calling at least three times a day even after everyone in the house had told them we weren’t interested, I remember one night they kept calling a second or two after we hung up, one of them had even said to me, “Are you retarded, or something?” my mom screamed at him, and they still kept calling. I had to do something. After that little exchange they stopped calling.
I just remembered something.
Here, you can register your phone number to be taken off telemarketer lists.
Actually, I think my parents have already done that.
They should think about the evil thing that is their job before getting into it. And I know I shouldn’t be rude, but after a few insults they remove your name from their lists forever. I haven’t received telemarketing calls for some 2-3 years now.
Ultimate defense against telemarketers = Dial-Up