Tips on Dealing With Telemarketing

Why do sales people call you at the most inopportune times? Is it to just annoy you or hinder your daily life? As much as this feels like the answer, the realistic answer is that they are calling you in an effort to make off with your money. Reverse this role. It’s not like you are making them a victim. Remember that they tried to get you to give them your cash first.

It’s always the worst times. Dinner. Work. Lunch. It’s time to learn how to deal with these telemarketers.

Steve Ostrow, author of How To Sue A Telemarketer: A Manual For Restoring Peace On Earth One Phone Call At A Time, offers the following tips for dealing with a telemarketer:

Information is your greatest ally. Gather as much of it as you can. Get a corporate number and ask for a call back number, as well as the company’s website. A message in your voicemail or message machine is evidence. Don’t delete.
Be nice. Now I know this goes against many of our natures, but being enthusiastic will help you to get the information you need to make a case. Once you do, ask for the company’s Do Not Call policy. If you are not given the policy after 30 days, the company will face a $500 fine.
Once you get the information you need, file your complaint. If it goes to court, the judge takes it from there and gets to decide who is telling the truth and who isn’t; hence the reason it’s good to have all the documentation. But chances are the judge knows what you are going through.

Lawyers can’t be involved in small claims court. The case is usually six weeks. Companies factor in these settlements as expenses towards their campaign. If they can do this and still make a profit, telemarketing continues.

According to the US Federal Trade Commission, there are now 200 million numbers listed in the National Do Not Call registry. Most states have their own version of the service as well. Often a modest fee is charged at the state level. Contact your state’s attorney general’s office to find out more details.