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larknm
Senior Member
USA
554 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 09:19:29 AM
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| How do I stop junk mail and telemarketers? I've been calling the phone numbers of all junk mail catalogues I get with negligible results. I hae also had it with people calling to ask for money--often claiming I've donated before, even though I never heard of the group. |
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beckyliz
Advanced Member
USA
1817 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 12:58:33 PM
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| It takes a couple of cycles to get rid of the catalogs, but eventually, they should stop. I just tell people who call something along the lines, "We can't give anything - please take us off of your list." Then I hang up. |
When the Queen is happy, there is peace in the land. |
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janharker
Member
385 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 1:20:56 PM
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This will get you off catalogue lists:
https://www.catalogchoice.org/login
There is an address you can write to to get your name off general mailing lists, but I just can't remember what it is. Marketing Direct, or something like that. Google it?
And be sure your phone number, including cell and fax are on both state and fed do not call lists. |
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notaclam
Senior Member
836 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 1:23:48 PM
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Don't buy anything via the mail and especially don't give to charities via the mail.
Give in person.
Some will sell your adress.
They will sell your phone number even if it is UNLISTED!
Police,veterans,and firehouses are some of the worst offenders!
Back when I had a phone. I would tell them I am a fall risk and would appreciate it if they wouldn't call.
Or, I would answer with a very confused German or Indian accent and mess with them as long as possible.
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Is Big Bird a birther?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJD9gosG5dg&feature=related |
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hapathy
Senior Member
USA
701 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 1:59:46 PM
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| The thing is most junk mail is NOT catalogs! The real problem seems to be store fliers (that nonsense arrives 2-3 times a week). So yea maybe you need to take a hard line approach like notaclam suggests. Of course store fliers come even if they don't have any name at all, they are quite content to dump that garbage on "Resident"! |
Got community? |
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Knitchik
Associate Member
USA
131 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 3:10:12 PM
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https://www.donotcall.gov/
you can register your phone number there and you will be taken off telemarketer lists |
knitchik |
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homenurse
Advanced Member
USA
5101 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 4:39:06 PM
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| Apparently charities are omitted from the "do not call" lists. Many charities hire out the phone solicitations to non-charitable businesses who do nothing but harass people. My mom has been the victim of these people on numerous occasions. Some have been really nasty to her, too, and have lied, saying she has donated before. She only donates to local causes and keeps a list of the charities she donates to, but it is amazing the number of calls she will get with people lying baldly about what she has given in the past. Do they really think she doesn't know who she donates to? We have told them repeatedly not to call again, but it doesn't help. I guess the use of automatic dialers also figures in to this problem. Now she uses her caller ID to screen these calls. It doesn't stop them, but it spares her the hassle of dealing with them. |
"What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other?"--George Elliot
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Karen in Bisbee
Moderator
USA
6695 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 4:55:27 PM
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| I thought the rule was that a company/charity could only call you if you had an 'established relationship' with them. I'm wondering if this "oh yes, you've donated before" is a way of trying to get around the no-call rules by lying about that connection. |
Our capacity to do less harm is limited, but our capacity to do good is not. |
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annabk
Advanced Member
3738 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 4:59:01 PM
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Usually, I just let the answering machine pick up and only answer the call if it's not a solicitor. I just make sure my friends and family know I do this so they don't hang up when they hear the machine. I'm on the do not call list, but I find it's of limited help.
Also, keep track of who you tell not to call. If you tell people not to call you again and they do, you can actually sue them. |
"The truth is rarely pure and never simple." - Oscar Wilde |
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tomt
Associate Member
USA
191 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2009 : 05:11:33 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Karen in Bisbee
I thought the rule was that a company/charity could only call you if you had an 'established relationship' with them. I'm wondering if this "oh yes, you've donated before" is a way of trying to get around the no-call rules by lying about that connection.
Charities and political organizations are exempt from the "do not call" rule.
If I get one of these calls, the person usually begins by asking, "How are you today, Mr. ****?" To which I respond, "Broke".
It's funny how this takes the wind from their sails. |
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janharker
Member
385 Posts |
Posted - Nov 03 2009 : 09:59:09 AM
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For junk mail:
Direct Marketing Association
phone 212-768-7277
www.dmachoice.org/consumerassistance.php
The neat thing about living in Indiana is that the state do not call law is much stricter than the feds. So we sign up for both. We've actually reported fax abusers and have had to complete a mail-in disposition, because the guilty companies get fined a minimum of $15,000 per violation. We rarely get faxes now. Or phone calls, even from charities. Except those danged Republicans; from them we get calls from a county office of a county we don't live in. Being not a Republican, I'm not nice to them. Our local Republicans know better than to call here. |
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larknm
Senior Member
USA
554 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2009 : 06:34:56 AM
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| Thank you all! Not only did you give me the info I hoped for, but even more good ideas. |
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a.m. again
Junior Member
64 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2009 : 07:10:31 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by janharker
Except those danged Republicans; from them we get calls from a county office of a county we don't live in. Being not a Republican, I'm not nice to them. Our local Republicans know better than to call here.
In the past we kept getting calls from the Republican Senatorial campaign. . .from a state we hadn't lived in (or been registered to vote in) for two years, had never registered as Republicans, AND at a phone number we had only had for a few months. I can promise you we have never given money to them. The McCain campaign also called to let us know about their victory events and what not. Never did figure that one out, but I sure did enjoy voting in all their polls!
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greg44
Senior Member
USA
512 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2009 : 09:45:24 AM
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| I have had a couple universities, charities, etc. and now the big one is just doing a "quick" survey...I simply say I am not interested, and please put me on their do not call list, and hang up, do further discussion. I seems to have worked well, we rarely get these kinds of calls. |
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TurtleMama
Advanced Member
USA
4192 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2009 : 10:42:06 AM
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| I just do the "Not interested, remove me from your list" click. If they won't shut up long enough to let me say that, then I just hang up. Takes 2 seconds. Better yet, get a cell phone & don't give out the number. That takes care of 95% of the calls. |
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creaker41
Advanced Member
3492 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2009 : 11:38:26 AM
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I say "no thank you" and hang up as soon as I know it's a call I don't want.
Yesterday's example: "This is <my mortgage company>. We're calling our preferred cust--"
"No thank you." Hangup
Polite. Simple. And I'm actually improving their numbers and efficiency because they aren't going to sell me anything no matter how long I let them talk. |
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junk mail and people calling for donations
