The federal government has done that for you, use the link above this post
Harassing Phone Calls, up at a new level.
- Thread starter George7941
- Start date
That does literally nothing.
I went to the Canadian Do No Call registry and entered my phone number. It said I registered in 2010 and renewed in 2018.
I don't think it does much, my blocked caller list must have over a thousand entries.
I don't think it does much, my blocked caller list must have over a thousand entries.
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
My BiL tells them - hang on whilst I grab a pencil & paper …
Then he just sits there phone down
Then he just sits there phone down
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2024
- Messages
- 1,599
There are a few things to know - this is my empirical knowledge, take it with a grain of salt.
- The Do Not Call list can't hurt, and actually can stop legit (but still nagging) telemarketers. Legit meaning - US based, having some legal presence, having to follow some rules at all.
- Any time you hear the words "Business opportunity", immediately ask "Do we have any existing business relationship, have we ever done business together ?". This is key. Any cold call telemarketer hearing this will either just hang up, or shorten the call. Their time is money, and hearing this they know that you know the rules. The rules are - a company you had previous business with is allowed to call you with new business opportunities. A company that does not is obligated to bar you from their list at your request. Should they not hang up, and say you don't have any prior relationship - just say "I have no business with you, I do not wish to be contacted again, remove me from your list". Amazingly enough - it mostly works, as when they hear this, they know where this is going, and there's always other people to sell bridges to.
- Should you be in the mood and have free time - know that as long as you don't curse or threaten them - they are not allowed to hang up on you. Mostly. Sky is the limit here. From "Have you accepted the flying spagetti monster as your lord and savior" to reading them from your favorite book, or playing Baby Shark on the phone with a word here and there - they have to stay on the line. Not too many of these left, unfortunately, but it's fun.
- About the non-legit ones (IRS, Tech Support, Police Dept, you name it) - remember that any second they spend with you is a second they don't spend stealing some Alzheimered old lady's lifesavings. There again, sky is the limit. You can put them on pause for a second, then get ChatGPT on voice prompt and instruct it to maintain the conversation for as long as possible, acting like a kid on sugar rush, while providing every fifth answer in iambic pentameter and every 17th in Japanese haikus. Or make every 12th word in the answer sentences in Japanese or some deeply obscure dialect of the Indian peninsula. Once again - sky a lot of fun to be had here, don't miss on it.
- The Do Not Call list can't hurt, and actually can stop legit (but still nagging) telemarketers. Legit meaning - US based, having some legal presence, having to follow some rules at all.
- Any time you hear the words "Business opportunity", immediately ask "Do we have any existing business relationship, have we ever done business together ?". This is key. Any cold call telemarketer hearing this will either just hang up, or shorten the call. Their time is money, and hearing this they know that you know the rules. The rules are - a company you had previous business with is allowed to call you with new business opportunities. A company that does not is obligated to bar you from their list at your request. Should they not hang up, and say you don't have any prior relationship - just say "I have no business with you, I do not wish to be contacted again, remove me from your list". Amazingly enough - it mostly works, as when they hear this, they know where this is going, and there's always other people to sell bridges to.
- Should you be in the mood and have free time - know that as long as you don't curse or threaten them - they are not allowed to hang up on you. Mostly. Sky is the limit here. From "Have you accepted the flying spagetti monster as your lord and savior" to reading them from your favorite book, or playing Baby Shark on the phone with a word here and there - they have to stay on the line. Not too many of these left, unfortunately, but it's fun.
- About the non-legit ones (IRS, Tech Support, Police Dept, you name it) - remember that any second they spend with you is a second they don't spend stealing some Alzheimered old lady's lifesavings. There again, sky is the limit. You can put them on pause for a second, then get ChatGPT on voice prompt and instruct it to maintain the conversation for as long as possible, acting like a kid on sugar rush, while providing every fifth answer in iambic pentameter and every 17th in Japanese haikus. Or make every 12th word in the answer sentences in Japanese or some deeply obscure dialect of the Indian peninsula. Once again - sky a lot of fun to be had here, don't miss on it.
