I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet and
Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors. 5-9
calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do not call
list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they tell me this
is their first time calling and they will remove me. It doesn't happen, the
calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company that
shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a solicitation. I have
demanded they put me on their do not call list and they claim the number is
"computer generated" and every time I answer, I will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

Joe J wrote:
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet
and Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors.
5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do
not call list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they
tell me this is their first time calling and they will remove me. It
doesn't happen, the calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company
that shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a
solicitation. I have demanded they put me on their do not call list and
they claim the number is "computer generated" and every time I answer, I
will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

Tried calling Time-Warner and complaining?

Joe J wrote:
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet
and Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors.
5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do
not call list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they
tell me this is their first time calling and they will remove me. It
doesn't happen, the calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company
that shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a
solicitation. I have demanded they put me on their do not call list and
they claim the number is "computer generated" and every time I answer, I
will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

Have you tried filing a complaint with the National DNC Registry?

https://complaints.donotcall.gov/com...k.aspx?panel=2

Other than that there probably isn't much you can do to stop many of
those calls.

I've noticed lately that I'm starting to get commercial solicitation
calls for the first time since I put our home phone on the National DNC
list several years ago. I'm assuming that's another result of the
economic downturn where desperate merchants are willing to try anything
to get some business.

Be glad they're just phone calls and not junk faxes. Every time another
junk fax rolls into our little family business (we get about one a day
now) I can't help thinking about the cost of the paper and toner I have
to pay for to receive each junk fax. Yes, I know I could let one of our
office computers receive all faxes and then have someone go through them
and toss out the junk ones, printing only the "real" ones but that would
cost me more in paying for that person's time than the wasted paper and
toner. G

If you've a mind to do it you might get rid of some of your angst by
being as insulting as you can to those callers without making any real
threats to them. You could start out by addressing the female callers as
"You ignorant slut" and go on from there to something like "Listening to
what you just said makes me believe that the full length of your
alimentary canal has somehow gotten reversed." That might get your phone
number marked by them as "No good, don't bother again".

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.

Joe J wrote:
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet
and Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors.
5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do
not call list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they
tell me this is their first time calling and they will remove me. It
doesn't happen, the calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company
that shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a
solicitation. I have demanded they put me on their do not call list and
they claim the number is "computer generated" and every time I answer, I
will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

Unless change your number, until every creditor of the previous has been
notified (and, more importantly, pays any attention to the notification)
they have the right to call the phone number on record for the debtor so
don't think there is much you can do about that.

As for the number, there's nothing that prevents them from setting up a
local dialing center controlled remotely. On that legality, if you've
ever had any dealing with the company then they have the loophole of the
"previous business relationship" they can fall back on. I don't recall
whether there's an expiry date on that or not; probably not short enough
to be of any use to you if so. If they are indeed blind calls then the
don't call should be honored. But, ime, the list is useful only as a
feel-good for the complainant who gets themselves listed; afaict there
is almost no enforcement of ignoring it so it has no real effect on the
telemarketers.

Fortunately, we've had the same phone number for 50+ years so it's
pretty immune to the problem of prior occupants.

--

On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:59:00 -0500, "Joe J"
wrote:

I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet and
Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors. 5-9
calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do not call
list

Debt collection calls I think are covered not by the do not call list
but by provisions of the Fair Debt Collections Act, or something like
that, which even before the donot call list gave, iiuc, even the
debtor ability to get them to stop doing certain things (They used to
do worse things like calling family and bosses, sometimes for debts
that didnt' exist. Threaten to get them fired.) So you may need a
idfferent formula of words than the dnclist. Check out the fdca
rules.

I used to get calls for one guy I had nothing to do with, knew nothing
about, and denials did nothing. A friend of my brothers told me that
was the wrong approach, to say I didn't owe the money. YOU ALSO don't
want to say you do owe the money, that would be bad, but he said to
say: I won't pay. and then they would go to the next step which
was to actually sue the guy, and when they organized their paperwork,
they woudl figure out that you and he weren't the same. All I can
tell you is the calls stopped coming.

This was 10 or 15 years ago and maybe their usual routine has changed,
but maybe not.

and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they tell me this
is their first time calling and they will remove me. It doesn't happen, the
calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company that
shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a solicitation. I have
demanded they put me on their do not call list and they claim the number is
"computer generated" and every time I answer, I will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?

What difference does it make? Either they have an office near yuou or
they have a phone nearyou and use call forwarding. You are still
supposed to be on the donotcalllist. One thing people do is say
Wait a second, then go cook read a book or wallpaper the bedroom,
comign back often enough that he doesn't hang up. I don't know how
well that works but it seems like fun.


I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

"Joe J" wrote in message
...
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet and
Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors.
5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do not
call list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they tell
me this is their first time calling and they will remove me. It doesn't
happen, the calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company that
shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a solicitation. I
have demanded they put me on their do not call list and they claim the
number is "computer generated" and every time I answer, I will get ten
more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any
solutions.


Can Time Warner arrange to block these callers for you?

On Jul 23, 3:44*pm, mm wrote:
On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:59:00 -0500, "Joe J"
wrote:

I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, *Internet and
Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors. *5-9
calls per day. *Each time I have requested to be placed on the do not call
list

Debt collection calls I think are covered not by the do not call list
but by provisions of the Fair Debt Collections Act, or something like
that, which even before the donot call list gave, iiuc, even the
debtor ability to get them to stop doing certain things (They used to
do worse things like calling family and bosses, sometimes for debts
that didnt' exist. *Threaten to get them fired.) * So you may need a
idfferent formula of words than the dnclist. *Check out the fdca
rules.

I used to get calls for one guy I had nothing to do with, knew nothing
about, and denials did nothing. *A friend of my brothers told me that
was the wrong approach, to say I didn't owe the money. *YOU ALSO don't
want to say you do owe the money, that would be bad, but he said to
say: * *I won't pay. * * and then they would go to the next step which
was to actually sue the guy, and when they organized their paperwork,
they woudl figure out that you and he weren't the same. * All I can
tell you is the calls stopped coming.

This was 10 or 15 years ago and maybe their usual routine has changed,
but maybe not.

and tell them they have the wrong number. *Each time they tell me this
is their first time calling and they will remove me. *It doesn't happen, the
calls keep coming.

Problem #2 *I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company that
shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a solicitation. *I have
demanded they put me on their do not call list and they claim the number is
"computer generated" and every time I answer, I will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?

What difference does it make? *Either they have an office near yuou or
they have a phone nearyou and use call forwarding. *You are still
supposed to be on the donotcalllist. * *One thing people do is say
Wait a second, then go cook read a book or wallpaper the bedroom,
comign back often enough that he doesn't hang up. *I don't know how
well that works but it seems like fun.

I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

Right you are. It's the Fair Debt Collection Act that holds sway - at
least for bill collectors.

You ask for their contact information, then inform them that "as per
the Fair Debt Collection Act I am making a formal, legal request for
you and your company to cease and desist from contacting me in any
form." You could also ask for a fax number and fax them the same
thing, along with your inclusion on the Do Not Call registry (might as
well cover your bases), and informing them that the person from their
records has moved on, and they should update their records. This
tells them to either step it up and sue you, or go away. Since the
'you' is not you, no problem. They'll figure it out on their own
time.

R

jeff_wisnia wrote:

Be glad they're just phone calls and not junk faxes. Every time
another junk fax rolls into our little family business (we get about
one a day now) I can't help thinking about the cost of the paper and
toner I have to pay for to receive each junk fax. Yes, I know I could
let one of our office computers receive all faxes and then have
someone go through them and toss out the junk ones, printing only the
"real" ones but that would cost me more in paying for that person's
time than the wasted paper and toner. G

Every time you get a junk fax, trot down to your local small-claims court
and collect $500 (up to $1500). This is federal law, enforceable at the
state level.

Joe J wrote:
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet and
Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt
collectors. 5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be
placed on the do not call list and tell them they have the wrong
number. Each time they tell me this is their first time calling and
they will remove me. It doesn't happen, the calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company
that shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a
solicitation. I have demanded they put me on their do not call list
and they claim the number is "computer generated" and every time I
answer, I will get ten more calls.
OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number
into a local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any
solutions.

Joe J wrote:
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet and
Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt
collectors. 5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be
placed on the do not call list and tell them they have the wrong
number. Each time they tell me this is their first time calling and
they will remove me. It doesn't happen, the calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company
that shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a
solicitation. I have demanded they put me on their do not call list
and they claim the number is "computer generated" and every time I
answer, I will get ten more calls.
OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number
into a local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any
solutions.

Get the name of the person they're after.

Send them a letter, over "his" signature, demanding they stop bothering you.
Under federal law, once they receive such a letter they may contact you ONE
more time to acknowledge that they've received your notice. The penalty for
violation of this law is SEVERE (I would tell you what it is, but I can't
spell disembowel).

On a more prosaic level, Time-Warner may have a facility for blocking
incoming 'phone numbers.

Joe J wrote:
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet
and Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors.
5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do
not call list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they
tell me this is their first time calling and they will remove me. It
doesn't happen, the calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company
that shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a
solicitation. I have demanded they put me on their do not call list and
they claim the number is "computer generated" and every time I answer, I
will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

Have some fun with them record it and put it on youtube.
Standard answers
The hell ya say.
Then again,
The hell ya say.
Do you take credit cards, when they say yes, tell them "I an't got
one, I was just wondering?
Send me proof and I'll pay it.
What color are your eyes?
What are you wearing ?
You know that reminds me of a story,...... and start telling a long
story, a real long one but drag it out and try to keep them from hanging
up.
Some from youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh4EP...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkE1N...eature=related
Be original.

On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:44:33 -0400, mm
wrote:


Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company that
shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a solicitation. I have
demanded they put me on their do not call list and they claim the number is
"computer generated" and every time I answer, I will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?

What difference does it make? Either they have an office near yuou or
they have a phone nearyou and use call forwarding. You are still
supposed to be on the donotcalllist. One thing people do is say
Wait a second, then go cook read a book or wallpaper the bedroom,
comign back often enough that he doesn't hang up. I don't know how
well that works but it seems like fun.


BTW, I don't really get any spam calls anymore since the dnclist, but
another thing I'd like to say, to hear their answer is, You're already
breaking the law by calling me. Why owuld I want to start a business
relationship with you.

However note that it's a good sign for the ecomony that they credit
card companies, even crooked ones, are trying sign up customers,

"Joe J" wrote in message
...
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet and
Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors.
5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do not
call list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they tell
me this is their first time calling and they will remove me. It doesn't
happen, the calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company that
shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a solicitation. I
have demanded they put me on their do not call list and they claim the
number is "computer generated" and every time I answer, I will get ten
more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any
solutions.

I let the answering machine pickup all unknown callers. I basically gave up.

In article , "Joe J" wrote:
[...]
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

Have you reported the calls to the appropriate state and Federal agencies?
Here in Indiana, the state is very aggressive in pursuing violators. I used to
receive 3 or 4 telemarketing calls every night; by a few months after the
Indiana law took effect, that dropped to 3 or 4 a _year_.

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

Read this: http://www.tcpalaw.com/free/47usc.txt
Pay particular attention to (b)(3) "Private right of action" -- bottom line is
that if they keep calling you after you've notified them to stop, you can sue
them for $500.

On Jul 23, 1:59*pm, "Joe J" wrote:
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, *Internet and
Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors. *5-9
calls per day. *Each time I have requested to be placed on the do not call
list and tell them they have the wrong number. *Each time they tell me this
is their first time calling and they will remove me. *It doesn't happen, the
calls keep coming.

Problem #2 *I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company that
shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a solicitation. *I have
demanded they put me on their do not call list and they claim the number is
"computer generated" and every time I answer, I will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

The bill collectors need a working number to contact you, you could
just not use the line for phone and get a cell phone. I think if you
disconnect it they will find your cell number, so you have given them
a number, it will cost you but you will get peace and quiet. There may
be other ways like others have said, but collectors do this for a
living and know tricks to harass you, The extra line works, they think
they are bothering you and are happy.

On Jul 23, 3:26*pm, ransley wrote:
On Jul 23, 1:59*pm, "Joe J" wrote:





I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, *Internet and
Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors. *5-9
calls per day. *Each time I have requested to be placed on the do not call
list and tell them they have the wrong number. *Each time they tell me this
is their first time calling and they will remove me. *It doesn't happen, the
calls keep coming.

Problem #2 *I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company that
shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a solicitation. *I have
demanded they put me on their do not call list and they claim the number is
"computer generated" and every time I answer, I will get ten more calls..

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

The bill collectors need a working number to contact you, you could
just not use the line for phone and get a cell phone. I think if you
disconnect it they will find your cell number, so you have given them
a number, it will cost you but you will get peace and quiet. There may
be other ways like others have said, but collectors do this for a
living and know tricks to harass you, The extra line works, they think
they are bothering you and are happy.

qwest has call blocking feature for a couple of bucks a month. It
allows up to 15 different phone numbers to be blocked.
I used to get 2-3 calls a night, usually from charities, which i
think don't have to follow the Do Not Call list. I just jot down the
caller ID number on the second call (first one is when I tell them not
to call) It works pretty good for me.

"dpb" wrote in message
...
Unless change your number, until every creditor of the previous has been
notified (and, more importantly, pays any attention to the notification)
they have the right to call the phone number on record for the debtor so
don't think there is much you can do about that.


It can be weirder than that. After we had lived here for about 15 years, I
started getting collections calls from one of the local hospitals. The
bizarre part, was that not only had I never heard of the person they wanted,
but they would call 5-6 times a day looking for different people. I didn't
bother calling back, I just deleted the messages. Then we started getting
calls from the same hospital, but they were appointment reminders, and
again, for different people we'd never heard of. After I came home and found
the entire message tape completely full with this stuff, I called the
hospital. Very long story short, after EIGHT MONTHS of back and forth with
these people, and threats of lawsuits, we finally connected with the guy who
programmed their auto-dialers. He checked the code, and if the system didn't
have a valid phone number, it had randomly decided to use ours!

Problem finally solved, but if anything like that happens again, I'll go
right to lawsuit mode. The attorney general's office had been unable to help
us, because since the hospital wasn't calling for us, they considered it
just a "wrong number".

On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:05:08 -0400, Kurt Ullman
wrote:

In article ,
Jim Yanik wrote:


I use my answering machine to screen all calls.If I don't recognize their
name or I know I have no business with them,I just delete the call.I'm
getting calls from American something-or-other about a debt,when I know I
have no debts. I Googled them,and they have a history of calling the wrong
numbers and endlessly using an robocaller to leave messages.And not
correcting their mistake when told about it. IOW,answering their call
just encourages them to call more. Right now,they seem to be listening and
just hanging up when they hear the message.

Isn't there some wav file or similar that you can put on your computer
that answers the phone with some kind of tone indicating the line is not
in service that the robocaller then thinks the number is dead and pulls
it out of the computer?

Good point. Some place used to sell that on late night tv, and it was
also on the web for free.

The tone is the one you hear when you get a recording that says
"OOOOOOeee. The number you have called is not in service." But you
only want to play the tone, not the words, which will confuse your
friends. I didn't know what the squealing was for until I heard
about this.

mm wrote:
On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:05:08 -0400, Kurt Ullman
wrote:

In article ,
Jim Yanik wrote:

I use my answering machine to screen all calls.If I don't recognize their
name or I know I have no business with them,I just delete the call.I'm
getting calls from American something-or-other about a debt,when I know I
have no debts. I Googled them,and they have a history of calling the wrong
numbers and endlessly using an robocaller to leave messages.And not
correcting their mistake when told about it. IOW,answering their call
just encourages them to call more. Right now,they seem to be listening and
just hanging up when they hear the message.
Isn't there some wav file or similar that you can put on your computer
that answers the phone with some kind of tone indicating the line is not
in service that the robocaller then thinks the number is dead and pulls
it out of the computer?

Good point. Some place used to sell that on late night tv, and it was
also on the web for free.

The tone is the one you hear when you get a recording that says
"OOOOOOeee. The number you have called is not in service." But you
only want to play the tone, not the words, which will confuse your
friends. I didn't know what the squealing was for until I heard
about this.

My brother recorded the whole thing and made it his answering machine
message. The first time I called I thought I dialed the wrong number,
the second time I figured it out and waited for the beep. About a year
later they came out with that thing for sale. I told him about it and
he said "no ****, I haven't been getting many of those calls anymore!"

Joe J wrote:
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet
and Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors.
5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do
not call list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they
tell me this is their first time calling and they will remove me. It
doesn't happen, the calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company
that shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a
solicitation. I have demanded they put me on their do not call list and
they claim the number is "computer generated" and every time I answer, I
will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

For over a year now I keep getting these calls for some woman who owes a
lot of people a lot of money. If I tell them not to call they often
hang up and call the next day. What I do now is get all the information
about them that I can. Sometimes I act as if I'm going to give the
person their message! I write down the name of the company and a number
to reply to and the callers name. Stay friendly with them. When I'm
finish getting the info. I jokingly tell them that I really don't know
the person, but I recorded our conversation and I would sue the living
**** out of them if this persons name ever shows up on my credit report
or if they call again. Works pretty good!

On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 01:22:40 -0400, Tony
wrote:

mm wrote:
On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:05:08 -0400, Kurt Ullman
wrote:

In article ,
Jim Yanik wrote:

I use my answering machine to screen all calls.If I don't recognize their
name or I know I have no business with them,I just delete the call.I'm
getting calls from American something-or-other about a debt,when I know I
have no debts. I Googled them,and they have a history of calling the wrong
numbers and endlessly using an robocaller to leave messages.And not
correcting their mistake when told about it. IOW,answering their call
just encourages them to call more. Right now,they seem to be listening and
just hanging up when they hear the message.
Isn't there some wav file or similar that you can put on your computer
that answers the phone with some kind of tone indicating the line is not
in service that the robocaller then thinks the number is dead and pulls
it out of the computer?

Good point. Some place used to sell that on late night tv, and it was
also on the web for free.

The tone is the one you hear when you get a recording that says
"OOOOOOeee. The number you have called is not in service." But you
only want to play the tone, not the words, which will confuse your
friends. I didn't know what the squealing was for until I heard
about this.

My brother recorded the whole thing and made it his answering machine
message. The first time I called I thought I dialed the wrong number,
the second time I figured it out and waited for the beep. About a year
later they came out with that thing for sale. I told him about it and
he said "no ****, I haven't been getting many of those calls anymore!"

LOL.

I had an early phone machine that was just an 8-track player with a
casette deck in the same box, and a circuit board to relate them to
each other. The 8-track tape was the outgoing message, and a piece of
metal tape made it stop after one play.

The cassette recorded the message and started immediately. I thought
I would be very bored hearing my own outgoing message over and over
when I played my messages, but strangely, I never tired of my own
voice.

But it was fun machine. It had no "beep". I had to make my own.
For a while, I hit a wok with a wooden spoon and said "Please leave a
message at the sound of the gong."

Sometimes I just said "Beep".

If I just said "PLease leave a message now", some people got all
stymied. They wanted a beep.


But best of all was the message that said. "Hello..........Who is
this?...............Why did you call?........." They htought it it was
a real person on the phone and I got to hear everything they said,
including when they figured out it was a machine talking to them.

On 7/23/2010 1:59 PM, Joe J wrote:
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet
and Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors.
5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do not
call list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they tell
me this is their first time calling and they will remove me. It doesn't
happen, the calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company
that shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a
solicitation. I have demanded they put me on their do not call list and
they claim the number is "computer generated" and every time I answer, I
will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

I used to have a lot of fun with telemarketers and such but it took
up too much of my time so I finally got a cheap answering machine and
used the disconnected number message as my greeting, the unsolicited
calls trickled off and finally stopped. Here's a link to a disconnected
number message that you can put on your answering machine or keep handy
on a hand held tape recorder to play into the phone when you see a jerk
on your caller ID.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BVbyCZXc5s

Oh yea, the three tones you hear on the notification messages are called
SIT Special Information Tones, auto dialer computers recognize the SIT
tones and will automatically hang up and mark the number as bad in their
database.

TDD

On 7/23/2010 4:26 PM, ransley wrote:
On Jul 23, 1:59 pm, "Joe wrote:
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet and
Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors. 5-9
calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do not call
list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they tell me this
is their first time calling and they will remove me. It doesn't happen, the
calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company that
shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a solicitation. I have
demanded they put me on their do not call list and they claim the number is
"computer generated" and every time I answer, I will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any solutions.

The bill collectors need a working number to contact you, you could
just not use the line for phone and get a cell phone. I think if you
disconnect it they will find your cell number, so you have given them
a number, it will cost you but you will get peace and quiet. There may
be other ways like others have said, but collectors do this for a
living and know tricks to harass you, The extra line works, they think
they are bothering you and are happy.

I bought a MagicJack several years ago when they first came out. The
gadget quit working but for $20 a year I keep the phone number and
give it out to anyone who is likely to violate my privacy like banks,
hospitals, insurance companies and especially government agencies.
The number rings and goes to voice-mail which is sent to my Email
address as a wave file along with the Caller ID information, time
and date. If I need to speak to the person, I call them back from
a prepaid cellphone that I keep turned off unless I'm using it.
You have to pay for privacy but it's not expensive if you're creative.

TDD

Kurt Ullman wrote:
In article ,
Jim Yanik wrote:


I use my answering machine to screen all calls.If I don't recognize
their name or I know I have no business with them,I just delete the
call.I'm getting calls from American something-or-other about a
debt,when I know I have no debts. I Googled them,and they have a
history of calling the wrong numbers and endlessly using an
robocaller to leave messages.And not correcting their mistake when
told about it. IOW,answering their call just encourages them to call
more. Right now,they seem to be listening and just hanging up when
they hear the message.

Isn't there some wav file or similar that you can put on your
computer that answers the phone with some kind of tone indicating the
line is not in service that the robocaller then thinks the number is
dead and pulls it out of the computer?

You might try forwarding your number to another that IS out of service. How
you find such a number is a mystery.

Kurt Ullman wrote in
:

In article ,
Jim Yanik wrote:


I use my answering machine to screen all calls.If I don't
recognize their name or I know I have no business with them,I
just delete the call.I'm getting calls from American
something-or-other about a debt,when I know I have no debts. I
Googled them,and they have a history of calling the wrong numbers
and endlessly using an robocaller to leave messages.And not
correcting their mistake when told about it. IOW,answering their
call just encourages them to call more. Right now,they seem to be
listening and just hanging up when they hear the message.

Isn't there some wav file or similar that you can put on your
computer
that answers the phone with some kind of tone indicating the line
is not in service that the robocaller then thinks the number is
dead and pulls it out of the computer?


I use a freeware program call Phone Tray Free
http://www.phonetray.com/phonetrayfree.htm

It lets you zap calls with various SIT tones such as "This number has
been disconnected" or "This number is not in service", etc.

There are options to match on all calls marked "Private Number", "Out
of Area", Local, Long Distance, and "Toll Free". You can also match
on exact numbers or use a wildcard to match on any combination. For
example, you can use the wildcard char "?" to catch all numbers
matching 800-555-????. This is very useful with telemarketers who
own a block of numbers that they call from.

Dee

In article ,
Evan Platt wrote:

On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:05:08 -0400, Kurt Ullman
wrote:

Isn't there some wav file or similar that you can put on your computer
that answers the phone with some kind of tone indicating the line is not
in service that the robocaller then thinks the number is dead and pulls
it out of the computer?

Been there, done that. Last company I worked at I had access to the
company phone system, and the more persistent telemarketers were added
to a special blacklist that got that recording. They STILL kept
calling, some 3-4 times a day, despite that trick recording.

What worked for a friend was to play a computer sound file of a
particularly disgusting fart, then say, "Hey, I'd love to talk to you,
but I'm taking a **** right now. Can you call back in ten minutes?"

"Dimitrios Paskoudniakis" wrote in message
...

"Joe J" wrote in message
...
I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet
and Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors.
5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do not
call list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they tell
me this is their first time calling and they will remove me. It doesn't
happen, the calls keep coming.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company
that shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a solicitation.
I have demanded they put me on their do not call list and they claim the
number is "computer generated" and every time I answer, I will get ten
more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

It's really getting annoying and I'm wondering if anyone has any
solutions.

Check out Google Voice

No help to me. I have the TW bundle which includes phone for a 2 yr
contract. I can't cancel the phone w/o paying more. And I do have a Goggle
Voice number.

Evan Platt wrote:
On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:05:08 -0400, Kurt Ullman
wrote:

Isn't there some wav file or similar that you can put on your computer
that answers the phone with some kind of tone indicating the line is not
in service that the robocaller then thinks the number is dead and pulls
it out of the computer?

Been there, done that. Last company I worked at I had access to the
company phone system, and the more persistent telemarketers were added
to a special blacklist that got that recording. They STILL kept
calling, some 3-4 times a day, despite that trick recording.

As soon as the SIT tones became widespread public knowledge a lot of
auto dialers stopped paying attention to them.

On 07/24/10 09:59 am, Joe J wrote:

Check out Google Voice

No help to me. I have the TW bundle which includes phone for a 2 yr
contract. I can't cancel the phone w/o paying more. And I do have a
Goggle Voice number.

Can't you have them give you a new phone number?

Perce

Joe J wrote:

I'm just checking if anybody here has any thoughts about my problem.

Just moved from a different state in May and now have Cable, Internet
and Phone from Time-Warner.
We are inundated with calls for 3 specific people from debt collectors.
5-9 calls per day. Each time I have requested to be placed on the do
not call list and tell them they have the wrong number. Each time they
tell me this is their first time calling and they will remove me. It
doesn't happen, the calls keep coming.

I had a similar problem. I got a second cell phone about 9 months ago. I
got many calls from from bill collectors for "Michelle Smith" the apparent
previous user of the phone number.

I recommend you avoid all the cute solutions, such as pretending to be the
person in question, getting a message to them, or being in the bathroom.

Your best bet it to answer the calls. Tell them you recently acquired the
phone number, and that the person they are looking for has never been at
your location, you've never met the person they're looking for, and that
the person they are looking for never will be at your location.

Other than the date when I received the new phone number from my cellular
carrier, I refused to give any other information about myself, such as my
name or address. Nonetheless, every collector agreed to stop calling.

Google the phone numbers, then you should be able to find out which
collection agency you're dealing with.

The problem is that the scum collection agency then sells the debt to yet
another collection agency. So you get to repeat the process.

Eventually, they all get the message. It has now been 23 days since I got
a call for "Michelle Smith".

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company
that shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a
solicitation. I have demanded they put me on their do not call list and
they claim the number is "computer generated" and every time I answer, I
will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

Don't throw around your phone number to people that don't need it. For
example Lowe's and Auto Zone, who like to tie your purchases to your phone
number.

Don't enter contests. The entry form is used as a tool to collect your
personal data.

Check the fine print of all your bank accounts, credit cards, and
insurance. Or call them up. Find the contact to remove you from all
"special offers", marketing, and information sharing.

Inform every caller that you are on the DNC list, and speak the magic
words, "Place me on your Do Not Call List".

Report every violation, every time, to the Federal DNC list and your state
list (they probably have a website too).

https://complaints.donotcall.gov/com...aintcheck.aspx

Robo call telemarketing is illegal. Report every call.

--
Tony Sivori
Due to spam, I'm filtering all Google Groups posters.

On Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:29:23 -0400, jeff_wisnia
wrote:

If you've a mind to do it you might get rid of some of your angst by
being as insulting as you can to those callers without making any real
threats to them.

_Mother of all Phone Pranks_ by Tom Mabe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2RAzjZ3zzY

In article , "Steve B" wrote:

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
...
In article , "Steve B"
wrote:


Be glad they're just phone calls and not junk faxes. Every time
another junk fax rolls into our little family business (we get about
one a day now) I can't help thinking about the cost of the paper and
toner I have to pay for to receive each junk fax.

Find out their number. Make a fax of gobbledygook, and make it in a loop,
taping the ends of the sheets together on your fax. Dial their number at
an
hour where they will not be there, or where they will be out for the
weekend. Send fax. It will keep looping,

Incurring a *massive* long-distance charge on your phone bill...

using up all the toner and/or
paper on the other end

Nonsense. You really think businesses still receive faxes on paper? There must
a few, still, but come on. Wake up, Steve, it's not 1985 any more.

and blocking them from business.

More nonsense. You really think they only have one phone line?

It's adolescent youtube stuff,

Yes, it is. It's also illegal.

I notice you didn't say anything about that point...

but it works.

No, it doesn't. You're an idiot.

I have free long distance,

Therefore, everyone does. You're an idiot.

I have a paper powered fax machine. I guess I'm an idiot on that angle,
too.

Yep. Especially if you think that businesses still use them. Like I said,
there may be a few... but wake up, Steve. It's not 1985 any more.

Seems to me you have reflected your own inadequacies while trying to expose
mine.

You did a very good job of exposing your inadequacies all by yourself.

The OP was asking for ideas. You don't like mine, but he might.

Only if he's an idiot too, or still stuck in 7th grade.

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
...
In article , "Steve B"
wrote:

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
...
In article , "Steve B"
wrote:


Be glad they're just phone calls and not junk faxes. Every time
another junk fax rolls into our little family business (we get about
one a day now) I can't help thinking about the cost of the paper and
toner I have to pay for to receive each junk fax.

Find out their number. Make a fax of gobbledygook, and make it in a
loop,
taping the ends of the sheets together on your fax. Dial their number
at
an
hour where they will not be there, or where they will be out for the
weekend. Send fax. It will keep looping,

Incurring a *massive* long-distance charge on your phone bill...

using up all the toner and/or
paper on the other end

Nonsense. You really think businesses still receive faxes on paper?
There must
a few, still, but come on. Wake up, Steve, it's not 1985 any more.

and blocking them from business.

More nonsense. You really think they only have one phone line?

It's adolescent youtube stuff,

Yes, it is. It's also illegal.

I notice you didn't say anything about that point...

but it works.

No, it doesn't. You're an idiot.

I have free long distance,

Therefore, everyone does. You're an idiot.

I have a paper powered fax machine. I guess I'm an idiot on that angle,
too.

Yep. Especially if you think that businesses still use them. Like I said,
there may be a few... but wake up, Steve. It's not 1985 any more.


I'd like to see the source of your data about paper vs computerized faxing.
I'm in the grocery industry. I visit some of the largest chains &
wholesalers on earth. I can't see what's going on with their computers in
any detail, but I see lots of busy fax machines.

Is it possible that your observations can coexist with those made by other
people? Or is that categorically impossible?

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
...
In article , "Steve B"
wrote:

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
...
In article , "Steve B"
wrote:


Be glad they're just phone calls and not junk faxes. Every time
another junk fax rolls into our little family business (we get about
one a day now) I can't help thinking about the cost of the paper and
toner I have to pay for to receive each junk fax.

Find out their number. Make a fax of gobbledygook, and make it in a
loop,
taping the ends of the sheets together on your fax. Dial their number
at
an
hour where they will not be there, or where they will be out for the
weekend. Send fax. It will keep looping,

Incurring a *massive* long-distance charge on your phone bill...

using up all the toner and/or
paper on the other end

Nonsense. You really think businesses still receive faxes on paper?
There must
a few, still, but come on. Wake up, Steve, it's not 1985 any more.

and blocking them from business.

More nonsense. You really think they only have one phone line?

It's adolescent youtube stuff,

Yes, it is. It's also illegal.

I notice you didn't say anything about that point...

but it works.

No, it doesn't. You're an idiot.

I have free long distance,

Therefore, everyone does. You're an idiot.

I have a paper powered fax machine. I guess I'm an idiot on that angle,
too.

Yep. Especially if you think that businesses still use them. Like I said,
there may be a few... but wake up, Steve. It's not 1985 any more.

Seems to me you have reflected your own inadequacies while trying to
expose
mine.

You did a very good job of exposing your inadequacies all by yourself.

The OP was asking for ideas. You don't like mine, but he might.

Only if he's an idiot too, or still stuck in 7th grade.

Ah, if we were only as smart as you are. And as good looking. What a
wonderful world this would be.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 11:40:12 -0400, Tony Sivori
wrote:


Your best bet it to answer the calls. Tell them you recently acquired the
phone number, and that the person they are looking for has never been at
your location, you've never met the person they're looking for, and that
the person they are looking for never will be at your location.

Other than the date when I received the new phone number from my cellular
carrier, I refused to give any other information about myself, such as my
name or address. Nonetheless, every collector agreed to stop calling.

I tried the honest way myself on two occasions. I'm pretty sure one
was the story I already told where they kept calling anyhow.

the other one was just a year or two ago, and like you say every
collector agreed to stop calling, but then someone else called. It
did stop after about 5 different callers.

Google the phone numbers, then you should be able to find out which
collection agency you're dealing with.

The problem is that the scum collection agency then sells the debt to yet
another collection agency. So you get to repeat the process.

In my case, the different people showed up pretty quickly, so I'm
wondering if they givve the same info to more than one person. Like
some people want to be the first to call, and maybe they get less per
successful contact that results in a payment plan; and others may
want, or be foreced to take, the hard nuts to crack, but receive more
if they make contact and get a payment plan. (and payment).

Eventually, they all get the message. It has now been 23 days since I got
a call for "Michelle Smith".

You may not be done yet.

Problem #2 I keep getting calls from a credit card insurance company
that shows up as a local number with caller ID, but it is a
solicitation. I have demanded they put me on their do not call list and
they claim the number is "computer generated" and every time I answer, I
will get ten more calls.

OK, I've stopped answering, but how do they disguise their number into a
local caller ID number?
I am signed up for both the state and national "do not call list".

Don't throw around your phone number to people that don't need it. For
example Lowe's and Auto Zone, who like to tie your purchases to your phone
number.

Absolutely. I don't give such places my phone number unless there is
darn good reason. I have given UPS, but when I have something
delivered to a friend, I give UPS MY number again, because the UPS
guys know her business hours already.

Don't enter contests. The entry form is used as a tool to collect your
personal data.

And to estabilsh a relationship that I think exempts them from the
no-call list. But how do you get a free dinner at a resturant if you
don't filll out that slip?

Check the fine print of all your bank accounts, credit cards, and
insurance. Or call them up. Find the contact to remove you from all
"special offers", marketing, and information sharing.

There was one company that would send money orders, charged online,
for lower than anyone else. Ithink related to Bank of America. Half
way through the process I read about how I was giving their affiliated
organizations the right to email me. Now I thought that was only orgs
that had Bancamerica in their name, that were actually branches of the
bank dealing with stocks or options or whatever, but I still backed
out. Later I found out it included 1000's of companies, so it must be
anyone they contract with, including falafel stands.

Inform every caller that you are on the DNC list, and speak the magic
words, "Place me on your Do Not Call List".

Report every violation, every time, to the Federal DNC list and your state
list (they probably have a website too).

https://complaints.donotcall.gov/com...aintcheck.aspx

Robo call telemarketing is illegal. Report every call.

--
Tony Sivori
Due to spam, I'm filtering all Google Groups posters.

The worst thing you can do is waste a telemarketer's time. If you can do
that by keeping them on the phone for a long time, they will eventually take
you off the list, that's what you want. If you're busy and can't do it,
that's one thing. If you have the time and want to take it, it can be quite
entertaining. Just go through the motions with them. Current address
......... not yours. Current phone ........ this one. Current place of
employment ........ not yours. Right down the line. Cooperate, cooperate,
cooperate, all the time taking up their precious time. Interjecting
schizophrenic screams, Tourette's syndrome symptoms, and questions like,
"What color underwear do you have on? Do you have a dog?" Then sharing
information like, "I don't have any underwear on. I once had a dog, but I
think my dad drowned him. So, I shot my dad and buried him in the basement.
Do you like Tuesdays?" Once they get it through their thick skulls that you
are not the person they are looking for, and you are just yanking their
chain and using up productive time, they will leave you alone, and for a
long time.

Listen to the Tom Mabe youtube sketch for ideas. Do you think that
telemarketer is ever going to forget the name Tom Mabe? I don't. Any time
soon, that is.

HTH

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:15:58 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:

The worst thing you can do is waste a telemarketer's time. If you can do
that by keeping them on the phone for a long time, they will eventually take

I had a guy call me once to sell something. I told him point blank
and politely that I was not interested. He kept talking.....No thanks
I said......he kept talking.

I said look. You can keep talking if you want to. I have earned my
money for the day. Go ahead.

He ended the call.

On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:58:22 -0400, Metspitzer
wrote:

On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:15:58 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:

The worst thing you can do is waste a telemarketer's time. If you can do
that by keeping them on the phone for a long time, they will eventually take

I had a guy call me once to sell something. I told him point blank
and politely that I was not interested. He kept talking.....No thanks
I said......he kept talking.

I said look. You can keep talking if you want to. I have earned my
money for the day. Go ahead.

He ended the call.

Pursuing a sales pitch probably does work sometimes. One year I
volunteered to sell advertising for the program for my college
fraternity's annual dance. I went to local stores. Every one of
them said they wouldn't buy when I walked in, and I just explained the
situation and, wihtout being pushy at all, gave one facet of the dance
and the fraternity after anoyther. And fully 90$ of the shop owners
bought from me. I coudn't believe it. Even in 1967 prices, I was
selling 100 dollars of advertising an hour. 5 or 6 stores per hour.
VAlmost no walking time so about 10 or 12 minutes in each one.

The next year I volunteered for the whole job, and again I sold at
that rate.

Later I moved and about 5 or 7 years later tried to selll fund raising
advertising for a community organization that really did a lot for the
community, including by extention the merchants, and was a better org
than my fraternity. But I got nowhere. I don't know why.

In article , Metspitzer wrote:
On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:15:58 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:

The worst thing you can do is waste a telemarketer's time. If you can do
that by keeping them on the phone for a long time, they will eventually take

I had a guy call me once to sell something. I told him point blank
and politely that I was not interested. He kept talking...

At that point, I say "Excuse me. Do you understand English?"

The response is invariably affirmative. My next question is "What did I just
say?"

"Well, sir, you said you weren't interested, but -- "

[interrupting]
"So you *don't* understand English. Or you're stupid." [hang up]

"Metspitzer" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:15:58 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:

The worst thing you can do is waste a telemarketer's time. If you can do
that by keeping them on the phone for a long time, they will eventually
take

I had a guy call me once to sell something. I told him point blank
and politely that I was not interested. He kept talking.....No thanks
I said......he kept talking.

I said look. You can keep talking if you want to. I have earned my
money for the day. Go ahead.

He ended the call.

I once was a steel erection contractor. I had a guy call every month that
must have been in prison, or just was persistent. He started the call with
things that a relative or long lost friend would bring up. He tried to sell
me cases of abrasive disks, like 1,000 that I would use a dozen of a month.

At first, it was entertaining. And he would catch me every time, thinking
it was an old friend who had found I was successful and famous.

Then I grew weary. I would tell this guy what he could do with his disks in
terms that would make a sailor puke, and the next month, he would still
call.

Then I just started hanging up on him.

That lasted about three months.

Steve

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