8/10    I can't take it, telemarketers keep calling when I get home from work
        or on weekends (I can't (*@#&$( get a good Sat/Sun sleep). What's
        the best way to get rid of them? Does DMA really work? How long will
        it take from the time you filed with the DMA till telemarketers stop
        calling? Is DMA a scam where they actually sell your # to others?
        \_Can't you get one of those devices that kill the call before
        you pick up? Do a web search. Have no idea if they work.
           companies, no banks, no one. It's under my roommate's name so I
           don't get calls that way.
        \_ Probably too late for you but ... when I moved, I never gave my
           phone number to any commercial organization. No credit card
           companies, no banks, no one. They get my work number only (and for
           who knows what reason, telemarketers don't call work numbers?
           maybe it's part of their honor code.) The home phone is under my
           roommate's name so I don't get calls that way. And I've never
           had a telemarketer call (2 years+).
           \_ telemarketers sleep when you're working so that they can call
              you at an inopportune moment at home.
           \_ I get telemarketer calls at work.  This sort of "stealth phone
              number" thing is the same as trying to hide your real email addr.
              from spammers.  We shouldn't have to work so hard to be left
              alone.
        \_ *Always* tell them "remove my name & number from your call lists"
           and hang up.  You'll slowly get rid of the worst of them.  I had
           some stupid CC company calling 4 or 5 times a day until I finally
           just answered it, waited for a person to get on the other end, told
           her to fuck off and remove my name, she grumped, I hung up, and
           never heard from them again.  They're required to do so by law and
           the fines are huge.
           \_ I've been doing this, and I think it has reduced my phone spam,
              but certainly not eliminated it.  Once when I said "I'd like to
              be taken off your list," the response was "that's too bad,
              isn't it.  <click>"  So you might want to be sure you get the
              company name before you ask, if you want to follow up on
              such things.  -tom
              \_ That's always what happens to me. I ask "who is this?" and they
                 always just say "I'll try back later bye" or something.
                 But this whole "opt-out" idea is such total bullshit. All
                 marketers should be required by law to have proof that you
                 opted-IN to be allowed to market through mail and phone.
                 With all other forms of ads you get something in return for
                 having to see the ads. This is a failure of democracy that
                 EVERYBODY hates spam but we can't get rid of it.
            \_ Yes, this works well: "Please put us on your do not call list."
               but if you really want to ensure compliance, get the name of
               the company and write it down. You can sue for about $1500
               ( I think) if the same company calls back within a year or two.
                \_ Correct, but it's only $500 and doesn't require a lawsuit.
                   Once you request to be put on the do-not-call list, they
                   have 2 weeks for your name to be circulated around their
                   call centers; after that they cannot call you.  If you want
                   to be a bastard about it, you record company name, address
                   (to send them your complaint if they call back) and the
                   caller's name.  If they pull that "sorry, I'll try later"
                   bullshit, you hang up, call the operator and get the
                   calling number, then file a complaint with the police for
                   harassing phone calls.  Simply saying "take me off your
                   list" won't work because they get fresh lists every so often
                   and your name will be back on it.  Sometimes the scummy ones
                   will fuck with you when you say "put me on your do not call
                   list" and say, "you want us to take you off our list?"
                   Those are the rats that I make stay on the line with me and
                   give me their full name, company name, address, and manager's
                   name.
                   \_ Ok so is there something better than just telling them to
                      remove me from their list?  You talk about calling the
                      police and stuff but how about something permanent?
                      \_ Yes.  You get the name, address, and company of every
                         telemarketer that calls you.  Write it down.  Date it.
                         say, "Put me on your do not call list."  The
                         do-not-call will keep that company from calling
                         you.  It's permanent.  Do this for 2 months, and
                         the rate of calls will drop off.  Remember-- the
                         do-not-call list is something you WANT to be on.
                         Saying "take me off your list" does nothing.
                      \- How about just saying "can you hold on a second?"
                         and just leaving the call off the hook as you go
                         back to whatever you were doing? What do they do
                         then? --psb
        \_ junkbusters has a good site on this:
           http://www.junkbusters.com/telemarketing.html