Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

[St. Clown]

Does anyone know how to get harassing phone calls to end from charities looking for donations? I keep getting a call from 1-800-307-3697. It always comes up as "out of area" or "Toll Free Call." I've done a little searching, and found out that it's Xentel, and they're calling for a variety of charities, AmVets seems to be the latest.

At any rate, they've called here 19 times in the past 31 days. I'm worried that when my mother returns home in ten days that she's going to end up giving over her life savings to this company.

I've told them to put my number on their Do Not Call list, but that hasn't stopped them. I think that just added a note to my phone number in their DB that if a male answers, they hang up immediately. To the legally ignorant like me, it seems like there is no legal recourse when calls are being placed on behalf of charities or politicians. I really hate politicians and their dammed loopholes.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

Get a girl to answer, or impersonate a female voice. There's a number of scenarios you can do.

Some I have done or my friends have done:

1. No, I need that money for beer money. Gotta get drunk, ya know.

2. Sorry, I can't donate. I'm gay.

3. Speak in a mentally retarded voice the whole time (think: Corky).

4. Answer their "how's it going" with a long story about how your whatever hurts, your dog died, your mom has cancer, anything.

5. When they ask if "so and so" is there, pause, and say "this isn't funny. So and so passed away 2 weeks ago. Who is this? Is this Fred? Not *ing funny, man."

6. Flirt with them. Ask what they're wearing. Press the issue and ask them personal questions. If they cooperate with you, tell them you'll donate.

7. As soon as you pick up the phone, just start screaming NONONONONONONONONONONONONO! until they hang up.

 

[Dirty]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

I'm all for harassing charities. Especially charities like St. Judes and other Children's Cancer Charities.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

Almost forgot:

answer the phone politely, say, "just a sec," and throw and break something (preferably glass) and yell "I told you not to sass me (woman) or (kids)" and then continue.....

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

I knew someone would comment on the thread title when I read it after the fact. Thanks for not disappointing, Dirty.

 

[Twitch Boy]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

If you get a call from a strange number, and there's a few second pause after you say hello, hang up immediately. That's the computer dialer checking to see if it's got an active line, at which point it transfers you to a talking head. If you do it in time, it'll think the number is dead and remove you from the list.

Another trick involves the "doo doo DOO!" sound when you call a dead line (the "we're sorry, your call cannot be completed as dialed" tone.) Make that sound the first thing your voicemail plays. The computer dialer recognizes that sound as a dead number, and removes the number from its list.

 

[ajoyce02]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

You mentioned it, the Do Not Call legislation does not apply to charities and politicians (there's a shocker).

While the ideas posted might not only be hilarious I'm not sure how much can be done legally speaking. In people I've talked to it's been hit and miss on the groups taking your number off their call list when asked to do so.

Not sure about the technology level of your mom, but does she use her landline a lot and does she have a cell phone? It is an extreme option, but disconnecting the landline and going cell only is an effective route.

If nothing else be sure to warn your mom about the calls.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

Thanks for the advice, Twitch, but I'm more worried about when my mom gets home. She's not going to be able to pull these sorts of tricks due to her Alzheimer's. I'm worried about her being pilfered of what little savings she has before the doctors and nursing homes are paid instead.

 

[Tundra]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

Not much you can do other then registering your phone number at

https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

I had a similar problem with some telemarketing company calling me like once every week or month, sometimes 2 calls in 1 day. I think it was for BOA, GM and tons of other companies but after talking to the guy found out he worked for a public telemarking firm (I forget the name now)... it was listed on the stock exchange, I left a nasty post on yahoo stock board.

Telling them to put you on the do not call list is pointless. Or talking to their "manager". After the the 5th or the 10th time I filled out the do not call register and it seems to help for commercial calls, but I don't think that really helped against charity calls.

Only thing that worked was changing my phone number, which was a pain but haven't had a computerized call in like over a year.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

I had a landline until about 2006 (also had a cell, but the landline is the number I used for any "business" or "non-personal/friend" calls).

I pulled all the stunts I mentioned, and then some, and I'm thinking there is some sort of central list (cue the tinfoil hats) that most callers use. I hadn't had a charity/other call since probably about 2003-04. And I never registered on those do not call lists.

 

[French Rage]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

6. Flirt with them. Ask what they're wearing. Press the issue and ask them personal questions. If they cooperate with you, tell them you'll donate.

I was gonna suggest this. Get real graphic and sexual real quick too.

 

[Painted_Bandit]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

seeing as i do this for a job, I call Tech alum so twitch watch out i might call you, is after they start a convo and explain who they are then tell them you want to be taken off the list. this works for our list anyways

 

[leswp1]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

Maybe you can call the telephone company before Mum gets home and have that number blocked. You might also want to see what other options the tel co. has to offer as far as protecting your Mum from other unwanted callers. I know they have options for cell phones to protect kids. Maybe they have something that will block all calls except the ones that are on a specific list?

 

[UST#1]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

My landline is thru AT&T (U-verse)...when I encounter these phone numbers and the other signs of cold calls, I can go online and block that number....in additon to any calls without ID info.

Also, they have a call screening option that will require a caller to identify themselves before the call is put thru...giving you the option to accept the call or not. I can also block all calls and designate up to 20 numbers to allow.

 

[ScottM]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

File a complaint with the Minnesota Attorney General and/or the FCC. Charities and their telemarketers cannot use the DNC exceptions to harass people, especially when you have requested they not call you. You could also inquire about a block of their number(s) or a screening service with your carrier. If all else fails, turn the ringers off on the landline and get your mum a nice cell phone where it is illegal for anybody to solicit.

Generally, if I get a solicitation, which is rare, I just set the phone down and go in the other room for a few minutes. I come back and as they're asking "Hello?" "Hello?" I just hang up or ask them "What was the middle part again?". Asking them what they're wearing is good fun too.

Edit:

Here's the FCC DNC link. It seems weak with regard to the exceptions, so you may want to go to the AG as well. It's possible the telemarketer may be pushing Minnesota's myriad consumer protection laws, and the AG is an attention hungry little biatch.

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/donotcall/

 

[aparch]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

I had a landline until about 2006 (also had a cell, but the landline is the number I used for any "business" or "non-personal/friend" calls).

I pulled all the stunts I mentioned, and then some, and I'm thinking there is some sort of central list (cue the tinfoil hats) that most callers use. I hadn't had a charity/other call since probably about 2003-04. And I never registered on those do not call lists.

My Grandfather used to do those too when a credit card company would call.

CCco.: "Sir, we'd like to offer you one of our credit cards (or some other spiel).
Grandfather: "I already have 52 of 'em, why do I need yours?"
CCco: "What cards do you already have sir?"
GFather: "Well, the Ace of Diamonds, the two of diamonds, the three of diamonds..."

 

[Carter]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

I would think that this is an all too common problem for families living with Alzheimer's. Wouldn't one of the large national support organizations have some workable solutions for dealing with these pieces of excrement?

 

[Boosh]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

Just be happy she doesn't know how to use e-mail. My grandparents are at least smart enough to call my dad before they do anything stupid, but would probably be bankrupt and have their identities stolen by a few dozen people if they would do all the stuff they don't realize are scams

 

[UncleRay]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

Under the theory that if you're annoying enough they will remove your number, try blowing a ref's whistle in their ear. It seemed to solve crank calls when I was a kid.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Phone Calls - Harassing Charities

Under the theory that if you're annoying enough they will remove your number, try blowing a ref's whistle in their ear. It seemed to solve crank calls when I was a kid.

Who did you stop calling?


I ended up doing some more research, finally found a customer service number. The lady on the phone said that she'd remove my number from their call list. They were telling me that I had made a pledge to a couple charities, and that's why I was being called. I told them that's a load of BS, and then the lady said she'd remove me from some donor obligation list, too. It's quite remarkable how my mom's name didn't come up that entire time.