Nuisance Phone Calls

[Randonneur]

 

 

We have them here as well!!!!!!!

 

REVENGE ON THE TELEMARKETER

 

Three Little Words That Work!!

 

(1) The three little words: 'Hold On, Please...'

Saying this, while putting down your phone and walking off (instead of hanging-up immediately) would make each telemarketing call so much more time-consuming that boiler room sales would grind to a halt.

 

Then when you eventually hear BT's 'beep-beep-beep' tone, you know it's time to go back and hang up your handset....you have efficiently completed your task.

These three little words could help eliminate telephone soliciting.

 

 

 

(2) Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end?

This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and record’s the time of day when a person answers the phone.

 

This technique is then used to determine the best time of day for a 'real' salesperson to call back and get someone at home.

What you can do after answering: If you notice there is no one there, is to immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly as possible. This confuses the machine that dialled the call and it kicks your number out of their system. Gosh, what a shame not to have your name in their system any longer!!!

 

(3) When you get those 'pre-approved' letters in the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and similar type junk, do not throw away the return envelope.

 

Most of these come with postage-prepaid return envelopes, right?

It costs them more than the regular postage 'IF' and when they are returned. It costs them nothing if you throw them away! In that case, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little, postage-prepaid return envelopes.

 

Send an advert for your local chimney sweeper to American Express... they might need one!

Send a pizza coupon to HSBC... in case their canteen packs up. You get the idea.

If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them back their blank application form... after all, it is their form!

 

If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything you return.

 

You can even send the envelope back empty if you want to just to keep them guessing! It still costs them, and it is their envelope after all… you are just returning it!!!!

 

The banks and credit card companies are currently getting a lot of their own junk back in the post, but folks....we need to OVERWHELM them, in order to stop them.

 

 

Let's let them know what it's like to get lots of junk mail, and best of all they're paying for it...Twice!

 

Let's help keep Royal Mail busy. Since the Royal Mail is saying that e-mail is cutting into their business profits, let's help them so they will not need to increase postage costs again. You get the idea!

 

If enough people follow these tips, it will work ---- maybe you'll get very little junk mail anymore.

 

 

[midknight]

Count me in

[Guest Tracker]

I've been doing this for years and it always gives rise to a broad grin when I post an oversized and overweight envelope full of useless crud back to the sender along with a polite note suggesting that they stop sending me their crud because if I get another the return post will be even bigger and heavier next time.

 

On the phone my favourite little words are - 'I'll just get him/her for you.'

 

It does not matter what you post back and I often use empty used envelopes or old newspaper folded up.

 

Mind you not much gets through these days with the telephone and mailing preference registered to prevent such crud.

[breakaleg]

We have a sign on our door, saying no takeaway leaflets, flyer's etc.

So, when we get some delivered (obviously by someone who can't read) we stick it in an envelope without a stamp, it may cost us an envelope, but they may have to pick it up and pay the going rate/fine for there leaflet.

We may never know, but it is quite satisfying to think how much it costs them.

Pete