How to Cope With Telemarketers

Telemarketers get trickier and more persistent every day. Be as firm and insistent as they are, but keep your cool.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Help them do their job by politely saying you aren't interested right at the beginning.

2. Remain polite. You can always simply hang up.

3. Have a standard statement ready; use it consistently and firmly. For example, "I never buy things over the telephone."

4. Don't get caught up in the cycle of listening politely against your wishes.

5. Ask to be removed from the telemarketer's list.

6. Be aware of smart tricks and traps to get you to interact. Avoid them.

7. Warn the persistent fundraiser, survey taker, etc., that you are going to hang up. Then do.

Tips & Warnings

• Be aware that no one can legally harass you on the phone by calling over and over, or using nasty language or threats. Tell them you'll call the police.
• Most offers of free trips and prizes have strings attached; don't agree to anything without careful consideration.
• Ask for the caller's phone number if you wish to respond to an offer.
• Never give out personal information (credit card numbers, bank account or social security numbers, address or living situations) on calls you didn't initiate.
• Don't be fooled by offers that sound too good to be true - they usually are!

[Banstaman]

on 4/25/2008 I always mess around with the Bastards, saying my number is different!

[tarajeff1]

on 4/24/2008 Nice.
This is just what I do and it works great.If I get reapeat callers I do ask them to remove me from their list.

[CraftyMum]

on 4/24/2008 Just hang up. Believe me, you won't hurt their feelings. My sister was a telemarketer for a long distance company. Their motto was "Sign up or hang up". They're just doing their job. If you don't want it don't waste your time or theirs. Hang up and they can move on to the next call. If you don't want these calls add your name to the national "Don't call" registry. You may have to re-add your name every 6-12 months.

[CraftyMum]

on 4/24/2008 Just hang up. Believe me, you won't hurt their feelings. My sister was a telemarketer for a long distance company. Their motto was "Sign up or hang up". They're just doing their job. If you don't want it don't waste your time or theirs. Hang up and they can move on to the next call. If you don't want these calls add your name to the national "Don't call" registry. You may have to re-add your name every 6-12 months.

[llamekcuf]

on 4/11/2007 A sports/boating air horn sprayed directly into the phone's mouthpiece does a fairly effective job. Especially when 2 or 3 people from the same company call. You can call that abuse or whatever you want, but you sure ass hell can't come after me for it. I don't want you on my phone. Especially my cell phone. So if you call me selling something, god help your eardrums.