If Trump called you right now, What would you say?

[Sighlass]

By the way, Do Not Call is totally useless.  Just wait till we get closer to the primaries and general election next year.  I'll be getting recorded messages from Trump and every other Republican out there.   Already getting their junk mail.

Political call are exempt from those block lists.

[Hoodat]

[corbe]

[Jazzhead]

You've accomplished your goal of shaking up the body politic,  and providing a voice for working citizens, and prosperity for their families.    The next step is to build on that start,  and cement your legacy.   That can best be accomplished by focusing the electorate on that populist/conservative message,  not on your personality and the Dems' game of using you to gin up hate.   Step down, sir, with the thanks of those who are working today because of your policies.    Return to your family and businesses,  and live out the rest of your days secure in the knowledge that you made a difference.   There is nothing to be gained from political martyrdom.   Step down, and throw your support to someone who can defeat the Dems and continue the cause you began.   

[Applewood]

Political call are exempt from those block lists.

Thank you.  I knew that.  Also, charities are exempt.   Or anyone you have dealt with before.

And businesses violate the law with impunity.  You can complain and they might get a slap on the wrist.  But they will continue to call you.  I know of  one that does.  It just uses a different number each time to call me.  After reporting this company several times with no meaningful result, I just don't answer calls from a number I don't know.

[EdJames]

Thank you.  I knew that.  Also, charities are exempt.   Or anyone you have dealt with before.

And businesses violate the law with impunity.  You can complain and they might get a slap on the wrist.  But they will continue to call you.  I know of  one that does.  It just uses a different number each time to call me.  After reporting this company several times with no meaningful result, I just don't answer calls from a number I don't know.

Yeah, technology has sort of obsoleted the DNC concept....  the ability to spoof the Calling Party Number and route the call via many hops with no accountability, has essentially destroyed the enforcement mechanism....  can't lay that $16,000 fine on someone that you can't find.....  only honest businesses now comply..... 

[roamer_1]

Thank you.  I knew that.  Also, charities are exempt.   Or anyone you have dealt with before.

And businesses violate the law with impunity.  You can complain and they might get a slap on the wrist.  But they will continue to call you.  I know of  one that does.  It just uses a different number each time to call me.  After reporting this company several times with no meaningful result, I just don't answer calls from a number I don't know.

I don't know what they think they'll get from it... Pestering folks like they do...
As an example, strictly because of their cold calling every_other_day, continuing to call back every time 3 or 4 times, even though I 'ether' em... I finally picked up the phone and told the Red Cross that they pissed me off so dang bad that I will never ever give em a thin dime again.

And I do mean it.

[GrouchoTex]

I'd ask him if he knew that his car warranty had expired.

[Smokin Joe]

You've accomplished your goal of shaking up the body politic,  and providing a voice for working citizens, and prosperity for their families.    The next step is to build on that start,  and cement your legacy.   That can best be accomplished by focusing the electorate on that populist/conservative message,  not on your personality and the Dems' game of using you to gin up hate.   Step down, sir, with the thanks of those who are working today because of your policies.    Return to your family and businesses,  and live out the rest of your days secure in the knowledge that you made a difference.   There is nothing to be gained from political martyrdom.   Step down, and throw your support to someone who can defeat the Dems and continue the cause you began.

I only have one question for that, and I'm not especially a fan of the POTUS, never got on the 'train'.

Considering the state of politics, who are you going to replace him with?

[Smokin Joe]

I don't know what they think they'll get from it... Pestering folks like they do...
As an example, strictly because of their cold calling every_other_day, continuing to call back every time 3 or 4 times, even though I 'ether' em... I finally picked up the phone and told the Red Cross that they pissed me off so dang bad that I will never ever give em a thin dime again.

And I do mean it.

LOL! I stopped contributing to them after a 'disaster relief' van of theirs failed to yield, speeding, T-boned my vehicle, and they didn't even want to pay for may car. The ensuing concussion would have ended my grad school stint if I hadn't decided to drop out and go to work already. Later I found out from vets, from WWII, Korea, and Nam, that the contents of their Red Cross packages were (more often than not) 'available for purchase'...and these guys were in combat.

It had reached the point where we were getting as many as 5 calls an hour, all day long, until I finally answered with "We will make no donations based on a phone call. If you have my phone number, you have my address. Mail out something and we'll decide and respond as we see fit. No one, and I mean no one, got anything from a phone call, and they eventually trailed off. In the meantime, we had lots of address labels, a few gee-gaws, and plenty of paper to start the fireplace.

[roamer_1]

It had reached the point where we were getting as many as 5 calls an hour, all day long, until I finally answered with "We will make no donations based on a phone call. If you have my phone number, you have my address. Mail out something and we'll decide and respond as we see fit. No one, and I mean no one, got anything from a phone call, and they eventually trailed off. In the meantime, we had lots of address labels, a few gee-gaws, and plenty of paper to start the fireplace.

The funny thing is, They STILL call all the time. Didn't change a dang thing.
I don't get what the percentage is in that... Sometimes I wonder if they aren't intentionally trying to get rid of land lines. Nothing else makes any sense.

[Smokin Joe]

The funny thing is, They STILL call all the time. Didn't change a dang thing.
I don't get what the percentage is in that... Sometimes I wonder if they aren't intentionally trying to get rid of land lines. Nothing else makes any sense.

My caller ID calls out the number. If I don't know it, the 'beep' picks up. Most hang up then. If it's something serious, I'll get the message and respond. Life is good.

[roamer_1]

My caller ID calls out the number. If I don't know it, the 'beep' picks up. Most hang up then. If it's something serious, I'll get the message and respond. Life is good.

Yeah, same... Except I can hit 'end' and give em the hook.

[Smokin Joe]

Yeah, same... Except I can hit 'end' and give em the hook.

I get a twisted satisfaction out of letting them listen to my message before they can leave a message....and I usually delete theirs before it is done.

[Hoodat]

The funny thing is, They STILL call all the time. Didn't change a dang thing.
I don't get what the percentage is in that... Sometimes I wonder if they aren't intentionally trying to get rid of land lines. Nothing else makes any sense.

I seriously want to start a website that lists all the companies that use telemarketing and compiles a searchable database of numbers used.  It would be a great way for consumers to impose personal boycotts based on who annoys them with phone calls.

[roamer_1]

I seriously want to start a website that lists all the companies that use telemarketing and compiles a searchable database of numbers used.  It would be a great way for consumers to impose personal boycotts based on who annoys them with phone calls.

Hard to do - the caller IDs are spoofed most of the time... More than half that come in here have a 406 area code (MT) and often they have a local prefix...

[Smokin Joe]

Hard to do - the caller IDs are spoofed most of the time... More than half that come in here have a 406 area code (MT) and often they have a local prefix...

Same here, 701 area code, call the number back, and most of the time it is 'not in service'. On a couple of occasions they blew it and used active numbers, but those folks claimed to have no idea what was going on. Even the State AG's office said they have a hard time prosecuting anyone over it because the numbers are spoofed.

[Cyber Liberty]

I seriously want to start a website that lists all the companies that use telemarketing and compiles a searchable database of numbers used.  It would be a great way for consumers to impose personal boycotts based on who annoys them with phone calls.

There must be such an animal, but good luck getting your hands on it.  It's pure gold to the blocking App developers.

[Cyber Liberty]

Same here, 701 area code, call the number back, and most of the time it is 'not in service'. On a couple of occasions they blew it and used active numbers, but those folks claimed to have no idea what was going on. Even the State AG's office said they have a hard time prosecuting anyone over it because the numbers are spoofed.

It's impossible, because the scammers operate from outside the US.  That's why the "do not call" registry is such a joke.

[roamer_1]

There must be such an animal, but good luck getting your hands on it.  It's pure gold to the blocking App developers.

That is becoming problematic too - I have twice now had to go through banned numbers on my phone because a spoofed number in the past has become a legit number trying to reach me.

It's going to turn into a crap shoot whether or not you'll be able to call anyone not in your inner circle... This local spoofing messes up blocking.

[Polly Ticks]

Hard to do - the caller IDs are spoofed most of the time... More than half that come in here have a 406 area code (MT) and often they have a local prefix...

That drives me crazy, too, especially when the caller ID displays as "cell phone".  My kids sometimes call me from a friend's cell phone when they're out and about and have let their own phone batteries die, so I have no way to know if it's a telemarketer or a legitimate call.

The ones where they spoof my own telephone number back also greatly irritate me.

[Cyber Liberty]

The ones where they spoof my own telephone number back also greatly irritate me.

That's pretty stupid on their part, letting you know for a fact it's spoofed before you can even answer the call.

[Polly Ticks]

That's pretty stupid on their part, letting you know for a fact it's spoofed before you can even answer the call.

Yes, very stupid, but also annoying for some reason.
 

[roamer_1]

That drives me crazy, too, especially when the caller ID displays as "cell phone".  My kids sometimes call me from a friend's cell phone when they're out and about and have let their own phone batteries die, so I have no way to know if it's a telemarketer or a legitimate call.

The ones where they spoof my own telephone number back also greatly irritate me.

What I am looking at is the percentage in that...
I can't believe they are making any sales to speak of, using deceptive practices and pissing people off... It's no more valid a marketing platform than blowing a thousand popups onto your computer desktop - I can guarantee that I am not much different than anyone else in that respect - I will not give them any satisfaction, for the intrusion alone... Not to mention calling at dinner time, or before 9am, or on the Sabbath...

So I doubt very much there are enough sales in it to matter. Something else is going on.

[Sanguine]

Yes, very stupid, but also annoying for some reason.
 

"Oh, look, I'm calling me and interrupting what I'm doing".