What should you do when you get Sales or Telemarketing calls?
Report them. Keep a log if you have the time. If they call more than once specially after you have asked to be removed, the penalty for them gets larger. They are forced to check your number at http://www.donotcall.gov.
You can file a complaint right from the Donotcall.gov site, but register your number or numbers first. You can register up to 3 numbers per email address. If you have more than 3 just get a free email address and register with that.
Here is what they recommend you do. I file the complaint from the donotcall.gov site, then sometimes follow these instructions also:
What Should You Do If You Get a Robocall?
If you get a robocall:
- Hang up the phone. Don’t press 1 to speak to a live operator and don’t press any other number to get your number off the list. If you respond by pressing any number, it will probably just lead to more robocalls.
- Consider contacting your phone provider and asking them to block the number, and whether they charge for that service. Remember that telemarketers change Caller ID information easily and often, so it might not be worth paying a fee to block a number that will change.
- Report your experience to the FTC online at or by calling 1-888-382-1222. or simply go to http://www.ftc.gov/complaint
So when you get a Robocall, don’t click on anything, just hang up, but note then number and listen for the company name (If the Caller ID is not showing it). Then complain baby complain. Even write a blog like I’m doing just so you can get more people to do this. Make the SOBs’ lives miserable.
Sometimes I get calls that just hang up. These are calls from companies in 3rd world countries using VOIP phone systems, looking to clean phone lists for telemarketers. You say “Hello” and they know it’s a live number, they just hang up and mark it live. They are onto the next number. This is similar to the mailing list cleanups. So complain with the number, again at Donotcall.gov or the FTC.
I hope this helps.
P.S. If you have more serious stuff like Identity theft etc, then go to this address: Click here for the FTC Complaint for Identity theft