atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Questions about telemarketers and bill collectors.

I haven't paid much attention to any new regulations that are in place regarding these outfits. I made a couple of mistakes that I'm really beginning to regret and could use some guidance:

1. I missed a credit card minimum payment by 14 days. I've been receiving dozens of calls from India since then, despite the fact that I sent them a double payment just to shut them up. They still keep calling and they spoof their number to look like they are calling from all over the country. Half of the numbers are fake. In some cases, I get two calls at a time from the same people who can't speak English so badly that I have to hang up. They always call from numbers in different US cities. Yesterday (Sunday), I received a record 43 calls from them. It has gotten so bad that we don't even answer the phone anymore.

2. I forgot to renew my numbers on the federal "Do Not Call" registry. About a month ago, I did so. The problem is that it takes 30-90 days for the lists to get to the right places. Since my expiration, I receive no fewer than a dozen calls a day from telemarketers and surveyors. The surveyors are by far the most pushy; often calling two at a time and many times per day.

I need to know the following:

1. What days/hours are permitted for this activity? I'm getting calls from 7:00 AM to 9:30 PM, seven days a week.

2. What can a person do when someone calling from India just can't be understood? I can keep hanging up, but they keep calling back.

3. Predictive dialers: Many of these places are using them and when I answer, I'm prompted to "please hold for a representative". One time, I waited almost two minutes before hanging up. Is there a legal limit regarding the use of these things when they clearly don't have the staff to handle the calls?

4. Since the Indian credit card people spoof their numbers with many of them being fake, what recourse do I have? They use a different number every time, so it isn't going to really help to try to use *57.

5. Where do I start with my complaint process?

My wife is very close to simply having our land lines disconnected since they are out on the telemarketer's lists now. It is pretty sad that we are paying $75.00 a month for lines that we can't even answer anymore. We leave the night service on 24/7 so that auto attendant gets them because we are so sick of the phones ringing constantly. I need help.

9:00pm is the cutof. If you have purchased something from the company or requested info they can call you. The law only applies to "cold calls". Also non-profit and political( guess why) are exempt. you can add your cell to the list as well, but it does take time.
If I find its one of the predictive dialers I will NOT stay on the line. If you can have a live body talke to me, I am not interested.

I find even some of our Southern friends are hard to understand.

I'm even getting credit calls for someone who used to have our number. they don't believe I have no idea who she is. Even when I tell her she never lived at this address.

Ed, this link might be of some help:

https://www.panix.com/~eck/telemarket.html

40+ calls a day seems like harassment to me... perhaps an avenue to explore there if they are all from the same company.

1) I think the timeframe is 0800 to 2100 local time.

2) I find setting the phone down and walking away works pretty well. Don't use expletives: telemarketers are used to them, and if the call is recorded you could wind up on the short end of the stick. Telling them the person they are trying to reach is deceased worked well for me before I was on the DNC list.

3) No idea

4) This thread might help you with the call spoofing.

5)You can file complaints with the FCC here

For a temporary fix and peace of mind, you could turn off the ringers and check the caller ID once in a while for important calls. I turn off all the ringers at night, not because I get telemarketer calls, but because we get a lot of wrong numbers at o-dark thirty.

In a case like yours, going out to the NID and removing a wire or two wouldn't be beyond me...

Jack

I keep a policeman's whistle by the phone. Sometimes I feel a need to blow it into the handset. It can't be good when you're wearing a headset.

For those that are shocked by my behavior, let me just say this:

You've really got to piss me bad off to get the whistle.

There haven't been many who've gotten it, but there have been some.


Sam

Better yet:
1) install cut off switches on your personal lines. I did that with the kids line years ago...had to; the drop was getting too short from all the cutting
2) Install a TAD on the line with a message referring your calls to your cell (but don't give the number) something like "please call my cell phone...you know the number".

I'm just letting my auto attendant answer all calls now where most callers just hang up, especially the predictive dialers. I just checked the SMDR report for my calls today since 7:07 AM and there have been 31 calls. It is a shame that the only way people can reach me anymore at home is to call my cell phone.

I'm a hostage in my own house by these people from halfway around the world who can't even understand when I tell them to pack sand.

The Federal Trade Commission and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act are what you should be looking at.

https://www.junkbusters.com/telemarketing.html

and

https://www.junkbusters.com/script.html

40+ calls a day x $500 fine/per... you could retire in a month. Find the inner lawyer in you, Ed. Or, like Sam mentioned, a whistle.

Jack

Ed - what state are you in? I hate lawsuits and dealing with attorneys, but I actually sued two junk fax companies in California and won both times - $2300 the first time and $1100 the second (minus attorney fees). The attorney I used does nothing but suits over calls like what you are receiving. It is definitely $500 per occurrence so save those caller ID records. Both losers were more afraid of setting a precedent by losing and having the same attorney come back and sue them again on behalf of many clients. The second one I appeared in court and they tried to lie and I "baffled them with technical bs" so they settled. I used to get junk faxes at 3:30 in the morning and after e-mailing and calling and sending written communication they still didn't stop. It is difficult to sue in one state if the caller is from another state, I know that.

Unfortunately for those calls from India I would stay on the line to determine who they are working for. If this is a credit card company you would send them a certified letter demanding that they cease and desist. Check with your state as to the proper procedure. If they don't then you can take legal action.

Also, what's stopping you from changing your number to something non-published? I have done that and actually kept the old number to give out to those who require it. It doesn't ring but I will call out on it for those who want you to call from your home phone number like to activate those replacement cards or customer service. That way they will never get your real number.

-Hal