Responding to telemarketers (1 Viewer)

[volition]

it stopped and then about 1 min later it rang again, so i got out my trusty basketball whistle. he didn't ring again after that hehe :rofl:

I think you probably crossed the line there, blasting them with noise down the phone can actually send people into a type of shock. It's also illegal to do it in Australia (take note here 'absent', this doesn't change whether or not it's still the right thing to do) , but I don't know about its legality doing it international.

 

[Optophobia]

It's illegal to blow a whistle into the phone?

Edit: Blasting them with noise down the phone can send them into shock?

wtf are you talking about?

 

[katietheskatie]

private number is the win.

my parents have a private number and we still get telemarketing calls, idk how they got our number

but yeah, when i pick up the phone, they're usually like "hey honey is your mum or dad home" (because apparently i talk like i'm about 12), which shits me because it's like heyyyy i'm 19, but i can't bring myself to be rude to them.

 

[volition]

It's illegal to blow a whistle into the phone?

Edit: Blasting them with noise down the phone can send them into shock?

wtf are you talking about?

That's what I was told when I worked for a telemarketing company for 2 shifts (I quit almost straight away).

The supervisor said that they occasionally had cases where customers would just use those air horns/noise making devices down the phone line and that it actually hurt on the other end. I'm looking around on the net to try and find something about it now, but I can't. Anyway, they told me that it was a pretty serious thing and they actually had to follow it up with a call to the person who did it.

 

[Skeeta]

Hahaha a telemarketer hung up on me once

 

[z600]

Sometimes they ring back after u hang up and once i got a call 2AM in the morning. The door to door marketing people arent any better. Some guy from Foxtel kept trying to convince me to try free Foxtel for 2 weeks, since i had Optus I said no repeately. So he stood at my door for frikin 1/2 hour trying to convince me "i have to get Foxtel because its so good" He doesnt seem to understand the fact that "I DONT FRIKIN WANT FOXTEL"

 

[Optophobia]

That's what I was told when I worked for a telemarketing company for 2 shifts (I quit almost straight away).

I don't think so.

The only crimes are threatening death or ABH, saying there's a bomb etc., continually calling 000 and making false statements, using recording devices without the consent of both parties, and... that's about all.

 

[Season]

During my brother's gap year he actually worked as a telemarketer- he was broke and desperate. So he knows the tricks of the trade

DO NOT, or they'll call you back
- tell them you're busy
-hang up
-tell them you're on the run
-abuse them
-pretend you're mummy and daddy isn't home


DO
-be polite, they have a job to do and they're much more likely to be nice if you're nice
- listen a bit to their nonsense
-then say these exact words thanks, but could you never ever call this number again, if you say that they are required by law to remove you from their list.

 

[Libbster]

I think you probably crossed the line there, blasting them with noise down the phone can actually send people into a type of shock. It's also illegal to do it in Australia (take note here 'absent', this doesn't change whether or not it's still the right thing to do) , but I don't know about its legality doing it international.

uh its not illegal and if he went into shock (which is highly unlikely) then he deserved it anyway, as dad had politely told him we were not interested and its actually illegal for a telemarketer to call you back, let alone 5 times after you've hung up.

 

[volition]

uh its not illegal and if he went into shock (which is highly unlikely) then he deserved it anyway, as dad had politely told him we were not interested and its actually illegal for a telemarketer to call you back, let alone 5 times after you've hung up.

I couldn’t find anything about the legality of it in Australia (I think it’s wrong to do it anyway even if it’s not illegal, given symptoms and possible damage listed below).

http://www.acousticshock.org.uk/?id=faq – “other sources of acoustic damage as caller abuse (shouting, screaming, blowing whistles etc)”

“symptoms not only vary from temporary impairment to permanent deafness and physical damage, but also, whilst these effects are often instantaneous, long term disabilities may take some time to surface.” If you’re happy with doing this to a person, then blow your whistle all you want.

I understand that it is illegal for them to call you back after you have requested that they don’t call you back, but I still think your actions were wildly out of proportion to what’s been done to you. In my opinion, you crossed the line.

 

[Optophobia]

-then say these exact words thanks, but could you never ever call this number again, if you say that they are required by law to remove you from their list.

I don't think so. I'm not familiar with telecommunications law, but John Howard and his business arse jacker friends would never allow any capping on marketing. I don't think there are any laws in Australia requiring that they remove you from their list, and then if there was there's always the possibility that they remove you from their list - but then forward your details to another 4 companies. They are likely to be calling from out side of Australia (VOIP) anyway.

 

[Phanatical]

"I'm sorry, but I do not speak or understand English".

Even better when it's door-to-door salesmen/Jehovah's Witnesses.

 

[UnIqUe_PrInCeSs]

I've recently started to receive numerous calls from telemarketers telling me that i have an opportunity to win a holiday and then asking me personal questions such as where i live and whether or not i am married. I usually do my best to reject their offer and politely tell them that i am not interested, but they never seem to accept 'no' as an answer. But now i just hang them up instantly when i receive such calls from telemarketers. What is a nice way of telling them to f*** off?

Thanks

I fucking hate telemarketers...especially those with thick indian accents! :burn:

I used to actually answer their questions, but now I just hang up on them.
I always pretend that my parents aren't home and that I'm under 18.
awsm.

 

[volition]

I don't think so. I'm not familiar with telecommunications law, but John Howard and his business arse jacker friends would never allow any capping on marketing. I don't think there are any laws in Australia requiring that they remove you from their list, and then if there was there's always the possibility that they remove you from their list - but then forward your details to another 4 companies. They are likely to be calling from out side of Australia (VOIP) anyway.

Once again, from my limited experience in one of those companies, I was told that if people asked not to be called again, their wish had to be respected. Anybody asking not to be called, had to be put on a "do not call list".

I think it probably is a legal thing, otherwise they don't really have any reason to actually respect those wishes.

 

[clairine73]

For some reason on my phone, they don't kick in for a few seconds either.
I always say hello? once, if no immediate answer i say hello again quickly, and then hang up.

Oh its a good life!

 

[townie]

I don't think so.

The only crimes are threatening death or ABH, saying there's a bomb etc., continually calling 000 and making false statements, using recording devices without the consent of both parties, and... that's about all.

you could probably argue that loud noises are a form of assault, esp. if there is risk of ear damage

 

[trace7988]

My family and I usually put the phone handset right next to the speakers on the tv and leave it there for a few minutes..
Must be the most confusing thing for them, especially the ones from india as they can hardly hear what youre saying to begin with, /& vice versa.

 

[absent]

Firstly, there are no statutes that goven "telemarketing", only advertising and telecommunications. However, calls are not supposed to be made after 8.30pm, or before 9am on weekdays, and calls on sundays are not supposed to occur either. But there are no laws to govern this, hence it is not ILLEGAL.

Volition- of course, from the TWO shifts you did, you must fully comprehend all the regulations that govern the telemarketing industry.

Most companies will remove your name from their contacts list if you ask politely, as they don't want to waste time and money contacting you repeatedly.

Season- your brother is spot on. Except about a company being legally required to remove you from their lists on you request.

The problem with telemarketing is the flood of calls now being made from countries such as india.

 

[volition]

Firstly, there are no statutes that goven "telemarketing", only advertising and telecommunications. However, calls are not supposed to be made after 8.30pm, or before 9am on weekdays, and calls on sundays are not supposed to occur either. But there are no laws to govern this, hence it is not ILLEGAL.

There's this association called the ADMA who represent direct marketing and together with the consumer watchdog ACCC they have established a code of practice.

http://www.adma.com.au/asp/index.asp?pgid=1985 - summary of code
http://twmadmin.telstra.com/data/portal/00000947/content/06447001157355330466.pdf - PDF code of practice full version
http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/322914/fromItemId/622726 - proof the code was authorised

Now from the PDF file above, section H, number 1 says "Members sending marketing communications must operate and maintain a suppression file, listing recipients who have indicated that they do not wish to receive further marketing communications."

So yes, it's not really statute, it's just a code of practice that is authorised by ACCC.

 

[xxxx8888]

i'm too nice to hang up on them or interrupt them.

i remember last time i 'listened' to everything they had to say and when they finally asked me if i was interested or something, i said no. is that annoying? because i wasn't interested from the beginning so i just wasted their time. i guess it's better for me to just hang up straight away right?

and when they ask me for my mum or dad, i get them.

lol.