HOW Do I STOP These Calls??? HELP!!!

**Samantha Puppy** · 04-04-2006, 06:57 PM

We changed our number this past summer and have had the same problem. What I do is answer all the calls. If they're automated and leave a call back number, I call it back, tell them they cannot reach "Andrea" at that number and they take our number off the list. If it is automated but you can press "0" or something to speak to someone, I do that. We got about 20 calls a day for awhile and now it's down to MAYBE one a month. It sucks and it's a pain in the butt, but it does cut down the calls and you don't have to go through the pain of changing your number and risking having the same thing happen with that one.

**lady_zana** · 04-04-2006, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by RICHARD

Pick up the phone and tell them that you are they have the wrong number,
Your name is Montgomery Ward....

Or pick up the phone, wait untill you get a person then tell them that YOU are a credit agency.

OR

Pick up the phone, wait for the human and then tell them to wait...

Put the phone under a pillow for five minutes.

hehehe.........Richard, your suggestions remind me of that Seinfeld joke, the one where he asked the telemarketer for their home phone number and when they won't give it to him, he tells them that's how he feels about being called at home! (Obviously, Seinfeld tells it much better than I do

)

I get the same thing. There is a call for "Stephaine T***" (I won't put her full name here....) every few days. I don't get it as often as you do but I'll get it several times in spurts periodically. I also get her calls from some dentist or doctor. I've told them she doesn't live here but they said that's the only number they have for her. I hope it's not important because she's missing a lot of appointments!

I used to get calls for someone else too about their child in school. Apparently their son had behavioral problems. I tried and tried to explain to the secretary and principal that he wasn't my son - I don't even have any kids! It took forever but they finally realized I wasn't going to come in and discuss "my son's" behavorial problems. I hope they finally got a hold of his mother because I feel quite sorry for the teacher; I got those calls several times a day!

**moosmom** · 04-04-2006, 07:58 PM

Christa,

I used to get phone calls for someone in my apartment building after I allowed him to use my cellphone to call an ambulance. I got calls from the ER, the ambulance company AND the doctor's office for collections.

I'm now getting phone calls from someone who says it's an important business matter (the call is for me) but they won't tell me what it's about unless I give them my address first. I flatly refuse and just hang up. I told them many times I'm not giving out that information unless they tell me what it's regarding.

Some people just don't give up!!

**christa** · 04-04-2006, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by moosmom

I'm now getting phone calls from someone who says it's an important business matter (the call is for me) but they won't tell me what it's about unless I give them my address first.

Sounds EXACTLY like a call that I used to get on our machine and my parents got too. I think that one was a scam. Yout have to be careful about giving out your info over the phone!

**luvofallhorses** · 04-04-2006, 10:19 PM

I know how you feel, it happens to us, too!

I want to answer it next time and say I will get you for harrassment if you don't stop calling!!!

**Jessika** · 04-04-2006, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by moosmom

I'm now getting phone calls from someone who says it's an important business matter (the call is for me) but they won't tell me what it's about unless I give them my address first. I flatly refuse and just hang up. I told them many times I'm not giving out that information unless they tell me what it's regarding.

If it was THAT important, then they would already have your address

**Catty1** · 04-04-2006, 10:29 PM

It must happen to a lot of people, and I would think the phone company has a department to deal with this.

Call them - it's THEIR phone system and they ought to have some way of dealing with it!

**BC_MoM** · 04-04-2006, 10:33 PM

Isn't that annoying? I suggest you call them during the day and speak to a person and get them to remove your number right there while you're on the phone with them, if it's possible.

We had a similiar problem.. but the police kept coming to our house looking for some teenager who used to live here. Apparently he was into trafficking drugs..

**gini** · 04-04-2006, 10:54 PM

You might call your phone company and inquire about a service called "call blocking"

For a monthly fee - they provide a service on your line. When someone calls and you do not want them to call you again - you dial a quick number such as *69 and they will not be able to call you again.

However, it may not work for toll free numbers.

It would seem that the phone companies could do something about this - but I was told "we are a telephone company" - in the business of providing phone services. If no one is breaking the law - and they are paying the bill - the phone company will do absolutely nothing about it.

**Lizzie** · 04-05-2006, 01:00 AM

I didn't realize this was so common. I got some too, on my answering machine. The voice was computer generated and I couldn't understand the first name. I called the company, gave the id number they'd left and they said they'd take my number out of their computer system. That worked for a few days, then they started calling again. I just deleted the messages. It is unfair that the burden falls on you to stop the calls, but that's all part of what this guy has done - dumped his responsibilities on other people. I hope he doesn't have pets!

**Randi** · 04-05-2006, 10:25 AM

This is slightly off topic, but I'll tell you anyway.

A few years ago, we used to get the occasional fax from various telemarketers, and of course others did too. This guy John knew, had had enough one day, and wrote a long letter to the company. He sent it by fax after closing time - one word on each page. I can just picture the mountain of paper on their floor the next morning.

As far as I know, he never got anymore faxes from them.

**Lizzie** · 04-05-2006, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Randi

This is slightly off topic, but I'll tell you anyway.

A few years ago, we used to get the occasional fax from various telemarketers, and of course others did too. This guy John knew, had had enough one day, and wrote a long letter to the company. He sent it by fax after closing time - one word on each page. I can just picture the mountain of paper on their floor the next morning.

As far as I know, he never got anymore faxes from them.

Oh! What a wonderful suggestion. We get lots of unwanted faxes at work and found out that there was nowhere to complain about them or stop them. As with the phone calls, the sender is paying for the service and so it is allowed. However, each company is using our paper, our ink and our time. I'll see if my boss will let us try this method of one word, one page.

On the same type of topic, I tried to stop the junk mail coming to my house but was told by U.S. mail that since the vendors paid for the mailing service, the mail has to be delivered. In fact the post office were annoyed with me for even suggesting I didn't want the mail - do they like junk mail!?

**king2005** · 04-05-2006, 11:48 AM

Just put up a sign stating you don't want ad-address mail or junk mail & to toss it into the pail supplied below

hehe

I filtered out junk mail for my customer PO Boxes, it was fun, cause anything on the list they made for me (what was considered junk mail) I got to open it or keep the magazins hehe from this free service I did, I had 4 times the amount of PO box customers

I even ran out of Boxes & some people just paid for pretend PO boxes (I would collect their mail & they would collect it once a week) My way is how to make $$ & show customers you care

When I was living with Rob we use to get chinese & indian people calling us at all hours of the night!! Turns out one of our #s was a diget off from a calling card company

Isn't it considered harassment if you tell a company to stop calling you & they still do it? I would fight using that argument with the phone company

**JenBKR** · 04-05-2006, 11:49 AM

Ugh I feel your pain - There for a while we kept getting messages on our machine for 'Elizabeth.........' (I won't say the whole name). These messages were mean and nasty and even got threatening! I called the guy and told him no Elizabeth at that number and he got worse! Sheesh, I certainly wasn't going to pay 'Elizabeth's' bill! GRRRR

**furrykidsmother** · 04-05-2006, 12:10 PM

I can relate to this too. For over a year, probably close to 2 I have been getting calls for a "Raymond Best". Never heard of him, have no idea who he is. I have received several messages on my answering machine asking that he return the call. I have called (the same agency) numerous times and politely asked that they remove my number from their files as it is not his number, has never been his number (I've had the number over 25 years) and that I have no idea who he is. Well, I got another call for him the other day. I was so mad.

I called them and threatened them that I would report them to the Better Business Bureau if they ever called again. Probably didn't do any good, but I felt better venting at them.