How to Handle Unwanted Telemarketing Calls

Have you ever received a phone call from someone selling luxury catalog items, digital protection, or worse, chocolate? These are some of the most common telemarketing calls placed on a daily basis to millions of unwilling Americans. When faced with such unwanted calls, many people hang up the moment they realize it, courteously try to get off of the phone, or simply ignore them.

No matter your coping mechanism, you may have realized that telemarketing companies are relentless. Once you believe you’ve received your last call, you get another. You may feel as if you’ve tried everything to stop them, but there are a few things you should know.

For starters, ignoring a telemarketing call will do nothing to stop future ones. It will only force the telemarketer to mark you as a “no answer,” whereas you can expect to receive another call shortly thereafter. Hanging up soon after picking up has the same effect. When it comes to actually speaking with a telemarketer, it is best that you choose your words carefully.

What NOT to Tell Telemarketers

Telemarketers record everything you share with them in their notes including your product likes and dislikes, the best time to reach you, purchase history, and any other relevant information. Their job is to ultimately get you to buy something, so it is in their nature to be persistent. With that said, it’s vital that you watch what you say and don’t say:

• Don’t lose your cool with a telemarketer. A computer system is likely to have chosen your number to call, not the telemarketer personally. If you curse out a telemarketer, they can easily re-enter your phone number into the lead pool out of spite.
• Don’t abruptly hang up in the middle of the call. They will assume the call got disconnected and keep your number in the system to receive calls.
• Don’t engage with the telemarketer. By asking questions, explaining why you dislike the product or showing any type of empathy, you give the individual false hope into believing that you only need a bit more persuading before you’re sold.
• Don’t allow the telemarketer to call you back. When you say “I can’t speak right now,” “This is not a good time to talk,” or anything along those lines, it leads the telemarketer to believe that calling you back at a later time is welcomed.

Putting an End to Telemarketing Calls

You can put an end to the calls by simply saying “Please put me on your do not call list.” Telemarketers are required to honor that request and calling you back after that could be a violation of both company and federal regulations. You may also want to consider adding your phone number to the National Do Not Call Registry. Although this does not protect you from political surveys, charitable donation calls, and a few others, it does safeguard you from a bulk of telemarketing calls.

If you’ve withdrawn your consent to receive particular telemarketing calls and they continue to come in, you may benefit from speaking to a local Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) attorney. The Florida TCPA lawyers at The Law Offices of Jibrael S. Hindi can review the presented details and decide whether your case merits legal action. The TCPA entitles you from $500-$1500 PER CALL! Contact us today at 1-844-JIBRAEL for a free case evaluation. No attorney fees unless you get paid!