What Do You Do When a Telemarketer Calls?

Canada
August 6, 2009 3:58pm CST
Now, we all know what they are and what their goal is, and also, there are many countries with the 'no-call list', but there is literally nothing that stops telemarketers when they get your number. I myself am a victim of Telemarketer spam, but I am very well off then most people, as I have a local number much less common than others in my city. I have joined less programs and 'freebies' where they need your phone number, so usually i only get 1 telemarketer call a month! However, I am afraid i have been spammed recently, in fact from random 'unknown calls' from outsourced telemarketers that wanted me to buy some product. I just told them I couldn't speak English, and just hung up.This is what I do 99% of the time when I know a telemarketer calls, and sometimes when they ask for my parents, even if they are there, I say sorry not available. I know that they are not doing this for fun, as this is how they make a living, but these people are very annoying and sometimes call at the worst times possible. I am pretty sure 90% of the times they call people, no one ever buys their product, because they know it's like spam. My question here today is what you do when you know a telemarketer calls?
2 people like this
5 responses
@glords (2614)
• United States
6 Aug 09
I try to treat them with respect. I realize that they probably don't want to be bothering you, but they need a job, especially in today's economy. So I tell them very nicely that I'm not interested and ask them to remove me from the call list.
@mukboh (43)
• United States
6 Aug 09
I do this also, but some telemarketer just don't know when to stop. So i just hang up on them... Might sound rude but one time i try to be nice to the guy that i talked to him for 30mins ...
@glords (2614)
• United States
6 Aug 09
yes I think that is true. I think if someone was talking to me and ignoring my desire to get off the phone I would probably interrupt them and say. I'm sorry to interrupt but there is a very important phone call on the other line, please hold. Then I would put the phone down and walk away. Let him know what it is like to have his time wasted.
@roniroxas (10560)
• Philippines
7 Aug 09
i just say nicely SORRY I AM NOT INTERESTED on what ever they are marketing. i get a few calls from telemarketer and i just say straight to the point that i am not interested. so they wont waste their time ta;king to me and they wont waste my time as well. theu can also find some other people who might be interested on what they are talking about.
@morgandrake (2136)
• United States
6 Aug 09
I have caller ID, and often I do not even bother picking up. When I do pick up and I realize that it is a telemarketer, most of the time I just come put and tell them that they are wasting their time. I explain I am a college student living off of loans and very little freelance income, and I really can afford any additional expenses. They do not like it, but a lot of them cut their losses and hang up on me, saving me the trouble of hanging up on them.
• United States
6 Aug 09
Hang up and if I'm not in a hurry then I will say a quick "Sorry, not interested" though they sometimes would not hang up anyways.
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
6 Aug 09
I generally do not answer the phone. If my caller ID tells me it's not anyone I know I pretty much ignore the ringing. If they continue to ring to long then I assume it's a machine and then I answer and immediately hang up, which tends to confuse the machine and they don't call back