[johnta1]

The thieves have come up with some method of showing a telephone number other than their own. About 3 years ago, I got a call from a good friend that asked me when I started selling siding??? I asked him what he meant. He had just received a call CALLER ID SAID WAS MY NUMBER AND MY NAME selling siding. If you have someone out there you love, you HAVE to answer the phone.

This is what I think needs to stop.



I never answer my phone except as others said if it is someone I know.

Now I get calls from my (old) area code and the prefix is close to my general area (cell phone numbers).

So I assume it is a friend who may have changed numbers.

No, almost all are for a cruise or some such.

I even had a woman call me (who I didn't know) and asked if I knew my number was 'stolen'.

The phone companies I think should be able to stop this 'spoofing' of other peoples numbers?

[gtohurstjudge]

I agree, the peddler calls are getting more numerous all the time at my
business, and it has gotten to the point that I almost need to hire a phone operator
to stand around and stare at the caller ID and screen the calls. Some days I get a
peddler call about every five minutes all day long. It is driving me insane! In the last year
the problem seems to have gotten twice as bad....shame on the phone providers to allow this crap to go on!

[Deadhead]

Also useful is to block any # you get that is a sales call. You can easily do this on a cell phone. My last land line I think you did *77 after getting the call and it would block it. At least you won't get a repeat from the same # again, though I doubt it reduces the overall # of irritating calls by much. After getting screwed by Comenity Bank, in a rather royal sort of way, I did some research, & found that some companies use around 80 #s to call you on. Hard to block all that.

[Sirrotica]

I tell them I'm too busy to talk right now, just give me your home phone # and I'll call you at home later tonight when I have time...............................

Usually silence on the other end............LMAO

[69goatboy]

The best thing to do is to hand the phone to a 3 year old and tell them Santa is on the line.

[74gto]

Unwanted faxes are almost as annoying. Especially when they have a marketing company keep faxing every day, and you call the number provided and ask to be taken off the list, and the following week getting the same faxes. I know everyone needs a job, but i'm sure most of the faxes are robo dailed and preprogramed. Waste of ink and paper.

[My64GTO]

I go for the shock value.

I usually let them go through their spiel then ask them if they are married, what color panties they are wearing, or I will put the phone down and have my daughter let off a couple of blood curdling screams while I yell in the background pretending to be smacking her around, then hang up.

Asking irrelevant questions like (Do you walk to work or take a lunch?), works too, but it's not as fun.

It horrifies some of the people on the other end, especially if they are calling from overseas.

Good times....

[carbking]

Originally Posted by 74gto

Unwanted faxes are almost as annoying. Especially when they have a marketing company keep faxing every day, and you call the number provided and ask to be taken off the list, and the following week getting the same faxes. I know everyone needs a job, but i'm sure most of the faxes are robo dailed and preprogramed. Waste of ink and paper.

We had to disconnect the fax machine years ago. 20 to 50 daily!

My guess would be that many that are not in business to not understand the scope of the problem.

Back on the calls. As 400-4speed posted, it used to be: Can I speak to the person in charge of your *&^%$# account. Now they call me by my first name. Is this Jon? And you CANNOT answer yes. If you do, they record it, mix it with some selling question, and charge you. I have had this happen. So I answer "speaking". Where there is an angle, there is a thief!

Jon

[gary bennett]

Originally Posted by gary bennett

I bought the Sentry 3. It is a box that goes between line & phone. never get another unwanted call. The phone does not even ring. I was sick of the unwanted calls.

for a business this would not work for you

[Scarebird]

Originally Posted by carbking

...Now they call me by my first name. Is this Jon? And you CANNOT answer yes. If you do, they record it, mix it with some selling question, and charge you. I have had this happen. So I answer "speaking". Where there is an angle, there is a thief!

Jon

???

[Jerry H.]

I counted my calls today. I had 7 total calls on my business phone. 2 were from actual customers. 5 were robo-calls that took me away from what I was doing to pick up the damn phone!