In the past year I've begun to receive junk mail and harassing phone solicitations where companies try to sell me products for my car or some car oriented gimick. I'm on the "Do Not Call" list so I shouldn't be getting any calls. The calls on my
answering machine say that I'm being called because of some request I made which is a huge lie. I never request information about car related products since I haven't owned a car in years and have no interest in owning one. Last night the woman said she called because I entered a contest to win a car- another lie. Other calls are recordings where you are instructed to "Press 1 to find out the problems we've uncovered with your current auto insurance." A piece of mail I received lied about me by making the assertion that the warranty on my car is going to expire. It seems fraudulent when a company asserts that if I pay them money I can reduce my auto insurance payments when my auto insurance payments are $0. It seems slanderous when the company accuses me of car ownership or of requesting info on car ownership.
tsl
10-02-07, 09:12 AM
Wait. You live in DC. I'd have thought you were used to liars, cheats and scumbags.
squegeeboo
10-02-07, 09:26 AM
In the past year I've begun to receive junk mail and harassing phone solicitations where companies try to sell me products for my car or some car oriented gimick. I'm on the "Do Not Call" list so I shouldn't be getting any calls. The calls on my
answering machine say that I'm being called because of some request I made which is a huge lie. I never request information about car related products since I haven't owned a car in years and have no interest in owning one. Last night the woman said she called because I entered a contest to win a car- another lie. Other calls are recordings where you are instructed to "Press 1 to find out the problems we've uncovered with your current auto insurance." A piece of mail I received lied about me by making the assertion that the warranty on my car is going to expire. It seems fraudulent when a company asserts that if I pay them money I can reduce my auto insurance payments when my auto insurance payments are $0. It seems slanderous when the company accuses me of car ownership or of requesting info on car ownership.
Additionally, you have to re-up in the do-not call list every 5 years or something like that. So you may have to do that.
mmerner
10-02-07, 09:55 AM
Verify A Registration (https://www.donotcall.gov/confirm/conf.aspx)
File A Complaint (https://www.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx)
Platy
10-02-07, 10:15 AM
Never give a cashier your phone number when you ring up a purchase. Never fill out one of those "survey" forms that are printed on some cash register receipts. Hang up on telephone polls and surveys from non-profit and charitable organizations. Never enter a commercially sponsored drawing or raffle. Doing any of those things establishes a "pre-existing business relationship" that allows telemarketing calls from that entity or any of its so-called "affiliates". (Anyone they sell your phone number to becomes a marketing affiliate.)
I-Like-To-Bike
10-02-07, 11:11 AM
...A piece of mail I received lied about me by making the assertion that the warranty on my car is going to expire. It seems fraudulent when a company asserts that if I pay them money I can reduce my auto insurance payments when my auto insurance payments are $0. It seems slanderous when the company accuses me of car ownership or of requesting info on car ownership.
Sue 'em for the pain and suffering you have endured from their slanderous, fraudulent lies.:rolleyes:
Oh the Horror!:eek: You don't know what harrassing annoying telemarketing calls are about til you live in Iowa before the Presidential caucuses. Makes me want to not register to vote and get off their lists.
scottieie
10-02-07, 11:15 AM
Get a cell phone and only give the number to those you know. Cancel your landline. When you get junk in the mail, rip it up and put it in a postage paid return envelope. That will cost them double the postage and will get them nothing in return. Maybe if it has your name on it, they will cross you off the list of potential customers.
bmclaughlin807
10-02-07, 11:26 AM
Get a cell phone and only give the number to those you know. Cancel your landline. When you get junk in the mail, rip it up and put it in a postage paid return envelope. That will cost them double the postage and will get them nothing in return. Maybe if it has your name on it, they will cross you off the list of potential customers.
You know... those postage paid envelopes are good for several pounds worth of mail. Box up all your garbage, tape the postage paid envelope to it, and drop it off. :D Note: This may not be such a good idea in this age of mail-borne badness. :( Maybe an old chair or tire.... :D
As far as telemarketers... Ever heard of Tom Mabe?
I have a rude way of replying to these telemarketers, hung up the phone. It's possible also that someone you know that your are not in good terms or envious of you may have started giving your name and phone as well as address by filling out survey's or subscribing to some publications that you are unaware of. Had that happen to someone I knew and he wasn't so thrilled even if it was a joke.
gwd
10-02-07, 11:42 AM
Verify A Registration (https://www.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx)
File A Complaint (https://www.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx)
Thanks for the links.
Artkansas
10-02-07, 01:40 PM
I'm just trying to figure out Jane, Reba and Terry came from. They all have my last name and phone number. I get phone calls from people trying to sell them stuff all the time. Terry has been pursued by a collection agency. I just tell people who call that they don't exist.
ChipSeal
10-02-07, 03:19 PM
I am phone free, so I never have this problem. :p
Newspaperguy
10-02-07, 06:36 PM
I'm just trying to figure out Jane, Reba and Terry came from. They all have my last name and phone number. I get phone calls from people trying to sell them stuff all the time. Terry has been pursued by a collection agency. I just tell people who call that they don't exist.
I've had my cell phone for more than three years and I still get calls for Paul, whoever he is. He's being pursued by one or more collections agencies. Most of Paul's creditors have been understanding when I've explained I'm not him, so the number of calls for him is dropping off.
My home phone number is only one digit out from that of one of the minor hockey organizers here, so I'll regularly get messages asking when and where a tournament is happening or whether it's too late to get a kid on a team.
Roody
10-03-07, 12:16 PM
I get those deceptive auto-warranty extension ads in the mail all the time. They probably fool about one in a 1000 people, so it's cost-effective for the company. I treat it more as a joke than a libel, even though they're probably fraudulent.