I put myself on the do not call list two weeks, ago, and now my phone is blowing up

[fastfredracing]

I get 3-4 times the sales calls than I was getting before signing up. Is there some scam that goes along with this? I never signed up before, I usually just don't answer 800, 888, or area codes, that I do not redneckognize. I finally got sick, of running to the phone , only to see that someone was going to try to sell me engraved pens, so I signed up online. I am guessing that I probably used the wrong site, and now am on every telemarketers list in the country.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I get 3-4 times the sales calls than I was getting before signing up. Is there some scam that goes along with this? I never signed up before, I usually just don't answer 800, 888, or area codes, that I do not redneckognize. I finally got sick, of running to the phone , only to see that someone was going to try to sell me engraved pens, so I signed up online. I am guessing that I probably used the wrong site, and now am on every telemarketers list in the country.

I doubt you did sign up on the wrong site if you went to the federal site that ends with "dot gov." I suspect you're just another victim of the geometric increase in solicitations over the past two years.

We signed up years ago with both the national and state sites but it is a toothless law. Each year we get an increasing number of solicitations so it's now to the point where we simply screen all calls using the caller ID feature--solicitors never leave messages. Our phone also has a number blocking feature that I use for numbers that repeatedly appear. It's a great feature but you can only block 30 numbers and it filled up quickly.

The problem is, the penalty/enforcement is too weak and it's too easy for callers to get around the system by using off-site numbers. Sadly, it's up to each of us to ignore the harassment individually. It's like the no-hands cell phone law here in California, virtually no one obeys it due to lax enforcement and meaningless penalties.

[fastfredracing]

You are probably right, but it really seemed that the call volume started increasing, within a day or two after registering. There are definitely more calls now , as opposed to a few weeks ago.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

You are probably right, but it really seemed that the call volume started increasing, within a day or two after registering. There are definitely more calls now , as opposed to a few weeks ago.

Businesses are supposed to access the no-call list to avoid those who have signed up. It would not surprise me if many use that list to program their robo-callers and supply their (sub)human operators just because it is a huge source of new numbers and they know there will be little, if any, consequence. That could account for your rapid increase in call since you signed up. What a pain in the ass.

[GWN7]

Occasionally they stop one of the callers. The "Hi I'm XXXXXXXX from card services" stopped when they finally busted them ......stopped for about 2 weeks. The problem is people in government have staff to shield their calls. I used to report them all the time. Now I just let the phone sit and waste their long distance minutes.

For fastfredracing this isn't a option. Do what my buddy does in his garage, get a cordless phone and just click the answer button and then the "end call" button. Keeps the line clear for real customers. If he's having a bad day he answers the phone and yells at them till they hang up.

[RWebb]

a fax machine is a valuable item of office equipment - you tell your friends and customers your new voice line number and then hook the fax into the number that is being spammed...

[GH85Carrera]

We get a lot of calls from companies that think we can save a lot of money if we change to their credit card acceptance program. We just tell them we don't do credit cards, just pigs, goats and chickens and gold.

We get call from companies that want to boots our google ranking. We tell em the internet is the tool of the devil.

Phone callers that want to talk to the business owner are told the owner is off the planet right now.

[LeeH]

DNC list is a joke and the telemarketers know it. They don't care because the odds of there being any consequences are so small.

[herr_oberst]

Man, I'll get 'em in waves. For the last few weeks, someone kept trying to give me a free home alarm. Stanley Steamer calls like clockwork. I quit taking the newspaper last year, that was an invitation for them to call two or three times a day. Visa, on and on. These are the ones that leave messages! Lots of others just hang up.

The DNC list is a joke.

Caller ID, baby. I never EVER pick up a phone when I don't know the number on the screen.

[john70t]

If the company is collectable......:

DNC - Fines and Penalties For Violations Of State DO-NOT-CALL Lists
"Civil action for up to $500 per violation plus actual costs; if willful or knowing violation, up to 3 times that amount "

"Pennsylvania: Attorney General may bring action for up to $1000 or if victim is 60 years old or older, $3,000;
Additional relief as deemed necessary and proper."