Telephone Privacy Act

[Rick]

I just thought I would share with you a recent experience I had with Indiana's Telephone Privacy program.

All of my private telephone numbers are registered with both the state and federal Telephone Privacy database. I hate telemarketers and especially those folks that are exempted from the law and think they have some inalienable right to call me during dinner (Or how wrong you are!).

In July of this year, I began receiving unwanted telephone calls from a company in direct violation of the law. I won't mention their name but they have to do with extended warranties. The first time I simply advised them I was on the list and hung up. The second time I asked for a manager, advised him I was on the list, not to call again, and hung up. The third time (in four days, by the way) I again asked to speak with the manager and advised him I was filing an official complaint with the State Attorney General, which I did.

I received a letter today from the Attorney General advising me they had investigated my complaint, filed suit against the company and owner and were awarded a default judgment against them for $6,960,667.61. That's right, nearly $7 million dollars!!! Woo Hoo!!

I have no doubt they'll just file bankruptcy, close up shop and reopen under a different name but, then again, maybe they simply got caught.

The moral is...stand up for your rights, operate within the context of the law, and you can make a positive difference. It may be one idiot at a time but at least it's forward progress.

I have to go. I need to investigate if there is a "whistle blower" reward written into the law...I hope, I hope, I hope.

[Pal334]

Rick, excellent!! If everyone stood up (within the law) to the folks like this and misc bureaucrats, this would be a better world. I hear the nay sayers, "My little action won't change anything". Well it will, when all of us "little people" start doing it!! One little bit at a time. Remember, we will leave this world to our kids.

[SARKY]

So how much of that 7 mil do you get for your inconvience?

[Rick]

Nada. But the state does assuming they can collect. That would translate into cost avoidance to me by not raising my taxes or providing more people services to the community.

[crashdive123]

Nice job. I've stopped all of the personal telephone solicitations, but since we run the business out of the house - business related calls are, to my chagrin, allowed.

[Ken]

I've also reported that operation. But hey, I live in Massachusetts........ :sneaky2:

The last time they called, I acted like I was happy to hear from them. I told the clown on the phone that I wanted to extend the warranty on my entire (non-existent) business vehicle fleet. After spending about 10 minutes on the phone giving the guy fictitious information, I inquired about our "corporate jet." When he told me that they didn't didn't do extended warranties on aircraft, I told him that the deal was off and hung up. :)

[2dumb2kwit]

Ya know.....you could have some fun with them! LOL:innocent:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjNw-J7uK6o

[Rick]

My neighbor did a similar thing a few years ago. At the end of the sales shpeel, which lasted 10 or 15 minutes, my neighbor said that he and his wife had made a decision just the night before about buying from telemarketers.

"Really? And what's that?" the guy asked.
"We decided we aren't going to buy anything anymore."
"Well, you're just a ba****d!" the telemarketer told him and hung up.

My neighbor got a good laugh out of it and went out into the garage to do some work. About 10 minutes later the phone rang and his wife answered it. It was the telemarketer again.

"Tell you husband he's a ba****d!" and hung up again.

[Pal334]

I once got one of those nusiance calls . I got the conversation rolling and he was off and running with his sales pitch. I had some puppies in basket next to my chair, I just set the phone in the basket. I guess their muffled moans, grunts etc were mistaken as my interest, because he kept talking for many minutes (I would check during commercials) . Finally the phone went dead. One of my simple triumphs (it does not take much to please me).

[Ole WV Coot]

Just say you're busy and ask for their home number and you will call them later. That's always been an instant disconnect for me. Wonder what it is with the "Extended Warranty" bit. I got rid of the calls, now I get their junk mail. Junk mail: Real easy if they enclose a postage paid envelope. Take everything they sent you including the envelope with your name and address, stuff it and anything else that will fit like more junk mail and mail it back to them.

[Rick]

Actually, I love junk mail. I shred it and use it for packing material. Recycle, Reduce, Reuse.

[oly]

My SSN was given to a third party. I myself hate to file suit but I figure that I must in order to protect others.
This happened Aug. 28 and its now Sept 3, I just have a hard time to get the ball rolling but I think that I must