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NFT: Telemarketer Utility Calls

Joey from GlenCove : 4/14/2017 4:30 pm
Is anyone else getting these prerecorded electric calls from random numbers from all over the country? Usually about my electric bill

It really started to pick up 2/3 months ago. I get 1/2 a day from different numbers.

Anyone know how to stop this? Do people still sign up for do not call lists?
..  
Named Later : 4/14/2017 4:36 pm : link
Those calls are a friggin' nuisance. Did you get the Call where the nice young lady is having trouble with her headset ??

"There, that's better," she says. "Can you hear me OK?"

If you answer yes.....your response is recorded and used as your agreement to sign up for whatever the nice young lady is selling.

Don't ever say "yes" on any of those calls.
RE: ..  
Joey from GlenCove : 4/14/2017 4:48 pm : link
In comment 13428908 Named Later said:
Quote:
Those calls are a friggin' nuisance. Did you get the Call where the nice young lady is having trouble with her headset ??

"There, that's better," she says. "Can you hear me OK?"

If you answer yes.....your response is recorded and used as your agreement to sign up for whatever the nice young lady is selling.

Don't ever say "yes" on any of those calls.


gtfo are you serious?
..  
Named Later : 4/14/2017 4:55 pm : link
Yes, I'm serious. And don't call me Shirley.
Link - ( New Window )
telemarketer calls  
nkleppel : 4/14/2017 4:59 pm : link
As a physician and my wife being an attorney we are on loads of lists and get anywhere from 6-10 telemarketer calls a day. We have been on the federal "do not call" list for a number of years and it is useless. We have tried reporting this to the Do Not Call number and you get a machine which asks lots of questions and then apparently does nothing despite the claim of a $2000 fine for telemarketers who abuse the list. I am on call for emergencies (trauma surgeon) and so MUST answer my phone. I get calls on my medical number for solar panels, credit card interest reductions, emergency alert gadgets, fake calls about a virus on my computer and heaven knows what else every day. Some offer an "opt out" choice. This is a scam; do not push this option as it confirms they have reached a live person and then they sell your number to others. There is a NOMOROBO service but unfortunately it is not available in our area. My wonderful (?) US Senator is constantly on tv BSing about this annoyance but does nothing about it. Even if you hang up on them you have to answer the annoying call and caller ID does not help since I can't tell what might be a legit emergency call when a given number comes up. DOES ANYONE HAVE A SUGGESTTION TO STOP THESE PESTS?
yup  
spike : 4/14/2017 5:02 pm : link
lots of random numbers from podunk towns that I don't recognize and refuse to answer.

They never leave messages
RE: telemarketer calls  
spike : 4/14/2017 5:03 pm : link
In comment 13428933 nkleppel said:
Quote:
As a physician and my wife being an attorney we are on loads of lists and get anywhere from 6-10 telemarketer calls a day. We have been on the federal "do not call" list for a number of years and it is useless. We have tried reporting this to the Do Not Call number and you get a machine which asks lots of questions and then apparently does nothing despite the claim of a $2000 fine for telemarketers who abuse the list. I am on call for emergencies (trauma surgeon) and so MUST answer my phone. I get calls on my medical number for solar panels, credit card interest reductions, emergency alert gadgets, fake calls about a virus on my computer and heaven knows what else every day. Some offer an "opt out" choice. This is a scam; do not push this option as it confirms they have reached a live person and then they sell your number to others. There is a NOMOROBO service but unfortunately it is not available in our area. My wonderful (?) US Senator is constantly on tv BSing about this annoyance but does nothing about it. Even if you hang up on them you have to answer the annoying call and caller ID does not help since I can't tell what might be a legit emergency call when a given number comes up. DOES ANYONE HAVE A SUGGESTTION TO STOP THESE PESTS?


Get a new work number ?
new work number  
nkleppel : 4/14/2017 5:07 pm : link
Your suggestion is impractical. Impossible to notify all my patients, other physicians and my four hospitals and their staffs amassed in 40 years of practice, but thanks anyway
Only suggestion is ignore them all. Let the machine pick up.  
Ivan15 : 4/14/2017 5:08 pm : link
I heard that robocalls can't legally leave a message on an auto answer line. Most of the recorded messages that get through are legit (appointment reminders for example).
If they are calls to your cell phone....  
Tesla : 4/14/2017 5:11 pm : link
then they are illegal under the TCPA. You can get up to $1,500 a call. I've represented consumers in similar cases, depending upon the number of calls the $$$$ can really add up. They key is finding a solvent defendant though.
answering machine solution  
nkleppel : 4/14/2017 5:11 pm : link
Unfortunately "LEGALLY" has nothing to do with it. Nothing is done about it anyway and how would you find these pests in India and the Phillipines? And then what could be done in any case?
RE: Only suggestion is ignore them all. Let the machine pick up.  
Jim in Fairfax : 4/14/2017 5:12 pm : link
In comment 13428941 Ivan15 said:
Quote:
I heard that robocalls can't legally leave a message on an auto answer line. Most of the recorded messages that get through are legit (appointment reminders for example).

Problem is most of these calls are coming via the Internet, often from overseas. The number you see in caller ID in not real -- it's spoofed, and thus untraceable. So they don't care if they break the law.
Telemarkets  
nkleppel : 4/14/2017 5:16 pm : link
If we can send men to the moon, the telephone techies could come up with a solution if they wanted to. Question is "Do they want to?" By the way, I'm starting to get these pests on my cell phone lately too
If I answer by mistake...  
EricJ : 4/14/2017 5:18 pm : link
and they usually ask to speak to the person who makes the decision about electrical power, I tell them the federal government. Then, I get the usual "huh?". That is when I tell them they reached the northeast field office of the FBI... how can I help you?

Then, I usually get taken off of their list...forever
..  
Named Later : 4/14/2017 5:21 pm : link
There is a way to record that Phone Company "Number no longer in service" message -- the one with the 3 harsh tones at the beginning. If you play that tone back to the telemarketer, their software thinks you're a disconnected number and will take you off their Robo-Calling List.

You might even bloody a few eardrums on their end if you crank it up.


eric j  
nkleppel : 4/14/2017 5:23 pm : link
and how do you get off the list of tomorrow's pests?
I was getting one where  
phil in arizona : 4/14/2017 5:25 pm : link
they were trying to sell me a home security package. I was getting them occasionally and would just hang up. When I finally got sick of the calls I decided to listen to the whole call to see if there was some sort of opt out. There wasn't, so I called the # back. The canned message directed me right to an opt out option.

It's been a few weeks but I haven't heard from them, so I'd recommend that route. Worth a shot.
telemarkets  
nkleppel : 4/14/2017 5:26 pm : link
Would appreciate a practical and helpful solution or some way to get the regulators to stop this. Stopping one pest today (even if that could be done) does not stop the problems for tomorrow and thereafter ad infinitum
if I were king  
PaulBlakeTSU : 4/14/2017 5:26 pm : link
I would consider these types of scam robocalls to amount to financial terrorism and I would use the NSA to root these people out and mete out harsh, harsh justice.
Blake  
nkleppel : 4/14/2017 5:30 pm : link
We settled the "king" issue in the USA about 240 years ago but no one seems to care And how would NSA be able to "get" these guys?
RE: telemarkets  
njm : 4/14/2017 5:33 pm : link
In comment 13428968 nkleppel said:
Quote:
Would appreciate a practical and helpful solution or some way to get the regulators to stop this. Stopping one pest today (even if that could be done) does not stop the problems for tomorrow and thereafter ad infinitum


It may not be practical or helpful, but keeping a whistle by your phone and using it with gusto when you get one of those calls might provide some satisfaction
njm  
nkleppel : 4/14/2017 5:53 pm : link
blowing out one set of eardrums is insufficient satisfaction and doesn't stop tomorrow's pests
RE: telemarkets  
Jim in Fairfax : 4/14/2017 5:57 pm : link
In comment 13428968 nkleppel said:
Quote:
Would appreciate a practical and helpful solution or some way to get the regulators to stop this. Stopping one pest today (even if that could be done) does not stop the problems for tomorrow and thereafter ad infinitum

Again, you can't. They're largely untraceable and unblockable.
Jim in Fairfax  
nkleppel : 4/14/2017 6:02 pm : link
How does NOMOROBO do it? You mean telephone techies can't use similar method? See my 5:16 post above.
RE: Jim in Fairfax  
Jim in Fairfax : 4/14/2017 7:37 pm : link
In comment 13429005 nkleppel said:
Quote:
How does NOMOROBO do it? You mean telephone techies can't use similar method? See my 5:16 post above.

OK, so why don't you use that?
I would like to find these people  
fivehead : 4/14/2017 8:38 pm : link
and drop a MOAB on their asses.
Jim in Fairfax  
nkleppel : 4/15/2017 1:22 pm : link
NOMOROBO is not available in my area but it Does work where it is available. Why can't phone company techies arrange this everywhere?
RE: telemarketer calls  
mrvax : 4/15/2017 3:52 pm : link
In comment 13428933 nkleppel said:
Quote:
As a physician and my wife being an attorney we are on loads of lists and get anywhere from 6-10 telemarketer calls a day. We have been on the federal "do not call" list for a number of years and it is useless. We have tried reporting this to the Do Not Call number and you get a machine which asks lots of questions and then apparently does nothing despite the claim of a $2000 fine for telemarketers who abuse the list. I am on call for emergencies (trauma surgeon) and so MUST answer my phone. I get calls on my medical number for solar panels, credit card interest reductions, emergency alert gadgets, fake calls about a virus on my computer and heaven knows what else every day. Some offer an "opt out" choice. This is a scam; do not push this option as it confirms they have reached a live person and then they sell your number to others. There is a NOMOROBO service but unfortunately it is not available in our area. My wonderful (?) US Senator is constantly on tv BSing about this annoyance but does nothing about it. Even if you hang up on them you have to answer the annoying call and caller ID does not help since I can't tell what might be a legit emergency call when a given number comes up. DOES ANYONE HAVE A SUGGESTTION TO STOP THESE PESTS?


2 things. Most telemarketers have the ability to spoof their calling number (ANI). That is why prosecution is difficult.

I've used Google Voice for the past 7 years. It's free.
Google will assign you a new local phone number. I think you can chose from a small selection.

You give EVERYONE your new GV phone number and never your pager, cell, home phone, etc.

On any computer, you can route any call you want to any device you own. You can block any SPAM calls so they will receive "this number is no longer in service".

If you go this route, you most likely will have to get new phone numbers for the last time for your devices. Good luck.
RE: eric j  
EricJ : 4/15/2017 4:37 pm : link
In comment 13428963 nkleppel said:
Quote:
and how do you get off the list of tomorrow's pests?


The first thing is that our home phone line does not have an answering machine. We have the volume turned low and usually don't answer. There are times when we pick it up, say "hold on", then put the phone down and walk away.

A telemarketing company will continue to call if they think they have a shot at selling you something. Once they think calling you is going to cost them time and money, then you come off of the list.
Not only do I get these calls,  
Gene : 4/15/2017 4:41 pm : link
but it's now that time of the year where they actually walk up on my front porch and ring the doorbell (the NO SOLICITORS sign be damned).

They flash all sorts of ID and tell me how they can save me a bundle on my electric/gas charges. All I have to do is show them a copy of my bill so the have the right info.

It's times like these I miss having 100+ LBS of German Shepherd in the house.
I use NOMOROBO  
ChathamMark : 4/15/2017 4:45 pm : link
works ok. Basically (with cable tv/phone setup), forwards the incoming call to nomorobo. If it detects the number on its blacklist, it only rings once, then they get hung up on. Doesn't get them all, though. These scammers get pretty good at changing phone numbers.
RE: Not only do I get these calls,  
EricJ : 4/15/2017 5:00 pm : link
In comment 13429748 Gene said:
Quote:
but it's now that time of the year where they actually walk up on my front porch and ring the doorbell (the NO SOLICITORS sign be damned).

They flash all sorts of ID and tell me how they can save me a bundle on my electric/gas charges. All I have to do is show them a copy of my bill so the have the right info.

It's times like these I miss having 100+ LBS of German Shepherd in the house.


I need to see whether it is legal to answer your door with an unloaded shotgun in your hands.
RE: RE: eric j  
mrvax : 4/15/2017 5:09 pm : link
In comment 13429743 EricJ said:
Quote:


The first thing is that our home phone line does not have an answering machine. We have the volume turned low and usually don't answer. There are times when we pick it up, say "hold on", then put the phone down and walk away.

A telemarketing company will continue to call if they think they have a shot at selling you something. Once they think calling you is going to cost them time and money, then you come off of the list.



Eric: In robocall world, the lowly telemarketers have ZERO control of the calling list. Thousands of numbers are programmed into the calling machine. There is no way to remove one.

Periodically the telemarketers call in a sleeze ball to insert a new batch of numbers. That's how it works.
I'm getting the Auto Warranty ones that are relentless  
montanagiant : 4/15/2017 5:24 pm : link
What's worse it's for a vehicle I traded in 3 years ago and they number 3-4 @ day.
RE: I'm getting the Auto Warranty ones that are relentless  
mrvax : 4/15/2017 5:32 pm : link
In comment 13429770 montanagiant said:
Quote:
What's worse it's for a vehicle I traded in 3 years ago and they number 3-4 @ day.


Try Google Voice that I mentioned in an earlier post.
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