THe y just dont get it - some people dont want to be constantly bothered.

[The Evil Genius]

My pet peeve.

Telemarketers Sue to Stop 'Do Not Call' List

Wed Jan 29, 9:55 PM ET Add Top Stories - Reuters to My Yahoo!

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Telemarketers went to court on Wednesday in an attempt to stop the U.S. government from setting up a proposed "do not call" list that would help consumers block unwanted sales calls.

Four telemarketing companies and a trade group filed suit in federal court in Oklahoma City to stop the Federal Trade Commission from setting up a program that would allow consumers to place their names on a list of households that do not want to receive such calls.

Telemarketers who ignored the FTC's list would face fines of up to $11,000. Callers for charities and political groups would be exempt.

The FTC's proposal, which could be up and running as early as August, has won unprecedented support from consumers who have swamped the agency with more than 50,000 letters of support.

But telemarketers say 27 existing state do-not-call lists and a voluntary national list run by the Direct Marketing Association trade group should provide consumers enough protection.

In the suit, the DMA and four telemarketing firms said the FTC's effort would violate free-speech laws and discriminate against an industry that provides millions of jobs.

"The FTC is singling out this form of advertising now, what will be next?" said DMA President Robert Weintzen in a prepared statement.

The FTC should have waited to move forward with its proposal until the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites), which regulates the telecommunications industry, finishes its reassessment of existing telemarketing rules, the plaintiffs said.

Federal officials say the two agencies have been working closely together to make sure they do not come up with conflicting rules when the FCC (news - web sites) finishes its work in the spring.

The proposal cleared a crucial hurdle earlier Wednesday when a House of Representatives committee voted to give the FTC the power to collect fees from telemarketers to pay for the list.

The list has already won approval in the Senate.

Rep. Billy Tauzin, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said such a move would give the FTC greater legal authority to defend itself against legal challenges from the industry.

FTC officials were not immediately available for comment.

Other plaintiffs in the suit include U.S. Security, based in Oklahoma; Chartered Benefit Services, of Illinois; and Global Contact Services and Infocision Management Corp., both based in Delaware.

[Art]

I hate telemarketers. I've never utilized the service. I've never purchased anything based on a call. I doubt I ever will. However, I think it's a terrible idea to limit business making calls in this fashion. Simply put, if you don't like the idea of a telemarketer, you're going to HATE the idea of a door to door salesman. That job is largely gone away. But, imagine the five phone calls you get a night going away and being replaced by five guys knocking on your door.

We have to allow American business to operate in an efficient, effective way. If they feel this is their way, then so be it. I don't take calls from out of area folks. I have a filter that requires people with hidden numbers to input their information before it rings through. The consumer has options to limit these calls, including the free one of hanging up. We can't federally mandate something like this.

[Yomar]

Originally posted by The Evil Genius

"The FTC is singling out this form of advertising now, what will be next?" said DMA President Robert Weintzen in a prepared statement.

The horror!

[Kilmer17]

I've started trying to sell them life insurance. They hang up pretty quick.

[OrangeSkin]

Your routine shouldn't be disturbed for advertising. If I have to get out of bed to be offered reduced-price window panes, that's not right.

However, if I'm sitting on my as$ watching TV on my own accord, then advertising is clearly OK.

[BG]

Telemarketers are the funnest thing to happen to me since I started my recent job. We get approximately 10-15 calls a day, not to mention wrong numbers thinking we are a car insurance co.

They can be very very easy to deal with if yu give 'em the "junkyard Willie voice. " (Crank Yankers/Touchtone terrorists)

Scares the hell out of them and they try to get off the phone with you hurry. Get up on your Jerky Boy's as well and give them the Sol Rosenberg routine about having bad 'roids..........

The pssiblilities are limitless when you F*ck with people who deserve it cuz they put themselves in that spot in the first place......

[Romo]

I can always tell its a telemarketer on the phone because they can never pronounce my last name correctly. So I just simply say, "sorry i dont know that person" or "sorry thats the wrong person".

one guy actually called back 2 more times with different attempts at pronouncing my last name. Each time getting a little closer but still messing up. My responses to his attempts were "not quite, but getting there" and "you almost had it". It sure made my day..lol.

oh btw my last name isnt that hard to pronounce if you can read english, which sadly most telemarketers dont seem to be able to do.

RO-ma-na-da

[BG]

Originally posted by Romo sits to pee

oh btw my last name isnt that hard to pronounce if you can read english, which sadly most telemarketers dont seem to be able to do.

RO-ma-na-da

G'Day Mr. Roman-da-da can I speak with you for a few moments about your long distance service?

[The Evil Genius]

I get the same thing - but I have a silent K at the beginning of my last name.

[Henry]

Nobody ever gets my last name right. And It's pronounced exactly as it's spelled. Go figure.

But I can tell immediately if its a telemarketer because there's a delay between when the auto-dialer rings me up and the telemarketer actually picks up and starts talking.

"Hello."

** Pause **

Click.

Saves us both a lot of time.

[Romo]

the best mispronouncing of my last name was ra-MA-ne-da.

Are you dislexcic? not to make fun of people with that infliction but come on!!

[BG]

My last name is Graham. So damn easy--so many spellings but all pronounced the same. Gramm, Gram, Grahm & Graham

NOT GRA--HAM

OR GREY-HEM

[codeorama]

Originally posted by Romo sits to pee

I can always tell its a telemarketer on the phone because they can never pronounce my last name correctly. So I just simply say, "sorry i dont know that person" or "sorry thats the wrong person".

RO-ma-na-da

:laugh: :laugh:

I get the same thing.... I also make the most annoying sound in the world (a la Jim Carey in Dumb and Dumber) when I answer the phone.... they hang up quick....

What kills me is that I pay extra on my phone bill for call intercept, but they have found ways around that but listing their number as Out of Area or sometimes, the caller Id never registers, it just says incoming call....

If, I'm in a good mood, I'll mess with them, if not, I just push one button to answer and then hang up just as quick.

[dchogs]

I don't take calls from out of area folks.

so, art, if i called you, you wouldn't pick up for a chat? i'm hurt :laugh:

[Art]

Not if your name showed as unavailable or out of area, no .

[BG]

The Jerry Seinfeld approach was nice. Ask for their home phone # so you can call them back ........forget the rest of the line..........

SPeak in toungues

Ask, r u saaaaved?

Hit on them, and yes sometimes I am that desperate and horny and that Mabel on the other end, though raspy voice and all, and might be 87 but gives me that funny feeling........

[jimster]

If you have the time you can have fun with them.

1)act like you're insane and ask them many questions about what they're selling, then turn it into many questions about nothing to do with what they're selling.

2)sound excited to hear from them and tell them to hold on for a second-put the phone down and just go about your business untill you hear the "off-hook" sound.

If you just don't answer or put them off-they keep calling back. These methods usually get you taken off their lists.

[Montilar]

They can waste their time all they want. I've gotten tired of the 4 or 5 calls a day, at 8:00 am on Saturday morning, etc.

I no longer answer the phone. The answering machine basically informs whoever is calling that I do not answer the phone due to the harassment tactics of telemarketing, to leave a message and I will pick it up if it's a legit call.

Otherwise, it says "go to H*LL and stop harassing me".

----

Oh, I know for a fact the Dominos sells their computerized listings they keep when you call in and order a pizza. I had a second phone line put in the home for work purposes ONLY. I forgot which phone I was using ONCE, and ordered a dominos pizza. They were confused as my delivery address on their computer system came up with my personal number..... Immediately afterward, I started getting telemarketers on the work line. Only time it's been used for non-work issues.