Invasive advertising is starting to ruin my life.

[StageLeft]

I'm not kidding. The popups on websites have all but gotten totally out of control such that I have to use a pop-up stopper. Then we have spyware crap like grokster which requires downloads of other programs to counter that. Then to top it all off, and what really put it in perspective last night was: It was 9:35 PM and I get a call from somewhere in new jersey. I pick up the phone and a recorded message says "Hi it's so and so calling about an important business opportunity. Please call me at 1-800...". I could hardly believe my ears. The gall to not only call me when I'm freaking watching tv at 9:35 pm, but they then want me to call THEM back.

I realize that the FTC has this new database going on and all that but shouldn't there be some overwhelming decency law that states should start adopting? I don't want to call your freaking ass back at 9:30 pm about a god-damned business opportunity out of new jersey.

 

[radioouman]

Agree!

 

[MichaelD]

*taps on inside of your screen*

Hello? Mr. Shmabbles? My name is Melvin Lickendicken and I'd like to take just a moment of your time to educate you on what could be the sole opportunity in your life to become independently wealthy! You do want to be wealthy, don't you, Mr. Shmabbles?....

 

[gopunk]

telemarketing calls after 9 PM are illegal

my bad, the newspaper got it wrong here... it is illegal after 9 pm

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Originally posted by: gopunk
telemarketing calls after 8 PM are illegal

Well, we get them.

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Oh yes, and one Spanish person that is always calling.....Skoorb picks up the phone and says:

"Don't call here again, EVAR!"

 

[Hoober]

Originally posted by: gopunk
telemarketing calls after 8 PM are illegal

so's speeding

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: gopunk
telemarketing calls after 8 PM are illegal

Well, we get them.

longshot, but maybe it'll work

 

[StageLeft]

Yes I had to pick up when some spanish lady called last night in spanish and I said "Hello?" She said "Hello?" I said "Hello. Bye. Don't call here again EVER"

Anyway we still have these folks number unless mrsskoorb killed it off the phone and it was around 9:30 and I'm pretty sure past 9:30. Anything we can do?

 

[Ulfwald]

I always like to have fun with telemarketers. I always ask them for their name, the company they are with, their address, their supervisors name. Then I tell them that I pay for my phone line for my use, not theirs, and that if they are willing to compensate me for my time and use of my phone then I will listen to them. My going rate is 45.00 per call. I do not promise them anything, I do not say I will buy. 9 out of 10 times they hang up.

Or, if it is a cute sounding girl, i ask her if she is into bondage, if not, then just how kinky does she like it. What is the weirdest thing she has ever done.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: gopunk

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: gopunk
telemarketing calls after 8 PM are illegal

Well, we get them.

longshot, but maybe it'll work

Even after editing the link that site won't load

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

It was 9:53 pm, as indicated on our phone, when she called.

The other one, the one where we were supposed to call them back, was 8:10.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb
It was 9:53 pm, as indicated on our phone, when she called.

The other one, the one where we were supposed to call them back, was 8:10.

I think the one from NJ WAS the "call us back" one, whereas the spanish lady was the one who called at 8:10.

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb
It was 9:53 pm, as indicated on our phone, when she called.

The other one, the one where we were supposed to call them back, was 8:10.

I think the one from NJ WAS the "call us back" one, whereas the spanish lady was the one who called at 8:10.

Ah....yes....

 

[Ketteringo]

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb
It was 9:53 pm, as indicated on our phone, when she called.

The other one, the one where we were supposed to call them back, was 8:10.

9:53pm your time is probably like 3:52pm in China or India or whereever they have these telemarketing sweat shops set up. I dont know how the law deals with telemarketing calls from different time zones :Q

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: ANY5546

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb
It was 9:53 pm, as indicated on our phone, when she called.

The other one, the one where we were supposed to call them back, was 8:10.

9:53pm your time is probably like 3:52pm in China or India or whereever they have these telemarketing sweat shops set up. I dont know how the law deals with telemarketing calls from different time zones :Q

Their time zone wouldn't matter - plus NJ should be EST. That link below does work but it's only a general complaint form, no chance of getting any sort of money out of these aholes.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I'm not kidding. The popups on websites have all but gotten totally out of control such that I have to use a pop-up stopper.

I know some people have quibbles with the interface, but I literally don't see popups with Mozilla. No additional software required, and it still allows legitimate popups to display.

 

[dakels]

great Sienfeld moment:

Telemarketer: "Hello I'd like to talk you about our new long distance service"
Jerry: "Can I have your home phone so I can call you back?"
Telemarketer: "I'm sorry sir but we are not allowed to give out our home phone numbers."
Jerry: "Why? because you don't want people calling you at home?"
Telemarketer: "Yes."
Jerry: "aah, well now you know how I feel. [click]"


btw Skoorbs: This looked like an interesting article. It also answered my question about the viability of those telemarketer call zappers (hardware device). If you get enough of those calls, maybe you should look into it.

good luck

p.s. I use a cell phone as my normal phone. Since it is unlisted I never get telemarketing calls.

just to add tho the most bothering thing for me is SPAM. I get alot of unsolicited porn emails. Drives me nuts cuz I get it at work. Last thing I need to do is try to explain why I am getting all this porn email to my boss. It's not even in english. Its like Korean or something. I haven't been able to successfully filter it either cuz they somehow address it directly to the email account name and yet I never give that email to any sites or anything. Even in newsgroups or forums I dont use my normal email as my ID. I always use a junk hotmail account or just a phony not@home.com
somehow they still get me...

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: Hoober

Originally posted by: gopunk
telemarketing calls after 8 PM are illegal

so's speeding

what's your point? No one's arguing the legality of it

 

[Moonbeam]

I never get telemarketing calls. Around election time, sometimes Bill Clinton will call, but that's it. I got a worm off a website yesterday though and I found the same worm just by chance on an old disk that had some bodies Kazaa saves on it. I think it had something to do with spawning pop ups, but I'm Not sure.

 

[kyutip]

I got telezapper a while ago ($20, K-Mart closing sale) and it does help.
It reduce a lot of the spam call and although I still have to pick up the phone, at least I don't have to listen to their recording anymore.
I used to average 3-5 calls a day, now it's about 2-3.
The one that goes through are manually dialed. First thing that comes out of my mouth is "please put me on your do not call list" and after they say yes, hang up.
Still annoying as hell though, especially during prime time tv.
:|

 

[ElFenix]

pop ups suck

 

[KokomoGST]

Other than the telemarketing... (I guess it's a bigger and bigger reason to unlist your number in NJ) most of the suckiness of popups and worms/spyware can be avoided by not using Kazaa or other programs that are spyware and a browser that automatically blocks most popups... like Mozilla

EDIT: and yes, if I have the time... I will mess with telemarketers... "I've got mail!!! YAAAAAAYYYY!!!!"

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: kyutip
I got telezapper a while ago ($20, K-Mart closing sale) and it does help.
It reduce a lot of the spam call and although I still have to pick up the phone, at least I don't have to listen to their recording anymore.
I used to average 3-5 calls a day, now it's about 2-3.
The one that goes through are manually dialed. First thing that comes out of my mouth is "please put me on your do not call list" and after they say yes, hang up.
Still annoying as hell though, especially during prime time tv.
:|

You can also kludge together a telezapper by downloading the three-tone beep you hear when you call a disconnected number (google search for "sit.wav"), edit out the second two tones and record the first at the beginning of your outgoing message. It will trick autodialers into thinking your number is disconnected and taking it off their dial list.

 

[Triumph]

I got a call from a Telemarketer on a SUNDAY MORNING. I answered it because I thought for sure it could only be someone I knew calling at this hour. WTF?