Make your own telezapper equivalent to stop telemarketers

[Syrex]

Lately I noticed this telezapper popping up in retail stores (radio shack, Kmart etc) for around $50. I was curious as to how it actually worked so I dug around the web for it. What I found out is that these types of devices just emit a SIT (Special Information Tone) tone that tells the telemarketers that your phone is actually disconnected. Here's a good website that i found information on. He sells his own telezapper but you can just download the SIT tone and record it to your answer machine!



<< Put it in front of one or all your phones (and your answering machine), and it will play a SIT (Special Information Tone) whenever you or your answering machine answers your line. The SIT tone is the short "doo-doo-doo" sound you hear when you dial a disconnected number - before the recording says the line is disconnected. >>





<< Telemarketers and Bill Collectors often use Predictive Dialers to dial outgoing calls. These are computers that keep dialing phone numbers on a list until they reach a live person. The Predictive Dialer then transfers that call to the first live operator. That's why you hear silence for a while before someone gets on the line, when you answer the phone sometimes. Some of them are bold enough to play a little recording asking you to "Please hold on for an important call!" Right. >>





<< Telemarketers and Bill Collectors don't want to pay their operators to dial the phone and listen to busy signals and answering machines, so they have a computer do it for them. The Predictive Dialer is programmed to hang up if it hears a SIT tone, since it knows the line is disconnected. It doesn't listen to what's said after the SIT tone, since it doesn't understand words. The Telemarketer or Bill Collector often takes that number out of their database too, so it won't be called again! >>

 

[dummy2001]

Just don't say "hello", they are usually programmed fro that sound. Say "Smiths" or whatver your name is and wait. According to what I've heard the silence that follows produces the same effect - you go on the list of inactive numbers. Try it.

Myself, I like to mess with them usually because they piss me off. I understand people need jobs but come on, at least at a restaraunt people would apprreciate the job you do. Act interested then say "hold on a minute", set the phone down, forget about it.

 

[Lizardman]

This is great if it works. I get at least 4 to 6 a day of those jerkys calling my house.

I was thinking about buying one at kmart too. hahah

 

[ojai00]

<< Myself, I like to mess with them usually because they piss me off. Act interested then say "hold on a minute", set the phone down, forget about it. >>



LOL!! I should give that a shot. I usually say that I'm under 18 and that I can't make any household decisions...

 

[manko]

I did this a few months ago. After seeing the commercials and wondering what it was, I did some Google "research" and found the tone. I put it in on my answering machine (before my message) and I think it really does work.

The only problems are, you have to screen all your calls for it to work and your friends and relatives have to get used to it.

Hint: I would take the tone off the message if you are sending out resumes or something (DUH).

 

[emanon]

I found something that worked ever better for me - Ameritech recently began offering a Privacy Manager service, that screens blocked/out-of-area calls. I signed up for a three month trial - it's $4 a month after that...but to not get a dozen out-of-areas a night, I'd pay $40 a month!

 

[cstring]

umm that is the tone like when you try to call a phone that doesn't exist, does it really work?

That taliban flash is funny as heck.

Actually I think Big Lots aka McFrugal had something like this for 2.99 a while back.

 

[XFreebie]

and i thought i was being heckled with silent phone calls when really its dumb telemarketers. who the hell buys this stuff? they should all be out of business by now. STOP BUYING WHAT THERE SELLING!

 

[RevWillie]

yesterday, i pressed the mute button on some guy calling about sears windows and siding. after the spiel, he said "hello?" and hung up.

 

[GetReal]

<< I found something that worked ever better for me - Ameritech recently began offering a Privacy Manager service, that screens blocked/out-of-area calls. I signed up for a three month trial - it's $4 a month after that...but to not get a dozen out-of-areas a night, I'd pay $40 a month! >>



Hmm....The telephone companies sell the telemarkerters your number and then they charge you $4.00 a month to block telemarkerters from to your number. In any other business this would be extortion. The real solution is to pass legislation that fines the telephone companies as well as the telemarketers every time you receive an unsolicited telemarketing call. Right now, the phone companies are laughing all the way to the bank.

BTW- the Telezapper and other sinilar consumer and commercial devices uses a combination of tones and line voltage pulses to accomplish its ask. Using tone only will not work with all phone systems. The determining factor is the type of tel equipment that you local CO office uses ie Northern Telecom vs ATT/Western Electric telco.

 

[Pardus]

just put the telemarketer on hold, tell them you have another call, then disconnect them. the telezapper is just another scam trying to sucker people into spending money on junk like the magical cell phone sound booster which is just tin foil with a stamp on it

 

[uwannawhat]

Caller ID

 

[tedinde1]

This will work great for a while i figure. Even the telezapper will. Until the telemarketers, tell their computer dialers to disregard this tone and any tone from the telezapper. Just waiting for it to happen

 

[Tanner]

XFreebie


<< and i thought i was being heckled with silent phone calls when really its dumb telemarketers. who the hell buys this stuff? they should all be out of business by now. STOP BUYING WHAT THERE SELLING! >>



U R CRACKING ME UP!

RevWillie



<< yesterday, i pressed the mute button on some guy calling about sears windows and siding. after the spiel, he said "hello?" and hung up. >>




ROTFL!!!

I'm going to DIE LAUGHING! I love telemarketer stories!

GetReal

I think that U R right.

God Bless
Tanner

 

[DanFungus]

I got a call yesterday, and I was inspired by my friend that I had talked to about 1 hour earlier, so when the person started their schpiel, i yelled out:

"MOM! The ca is eating the pizza again!" and then hung up. It was funny to me, because when I was talking to my friend, that's what the cat was doing, so that's what he said! I thougt it was funny

 

[TheFreakazoid]

A-men to everything being said here. But you guys should look into the "No Call" lists. Two ways to do it:

1) Every company that trys to sell over the phone is required by law to have a "no call" list, ie a list of numbers/people that they are not allowed to call. All you have to do is ask to be put on that list and technically they are required by law to put you on it. THEN if they call back within a certain time period (1-2 years or such) you can get them fined from the government ($1K-5K from what I remember). This does work but can be tedious since you have to first talk to them to tell then not to call you BACK...

so try #2
2) many states out there have put together lists of phone subscribers that they then dispurse to these telemarket companies. Some you have to pay for (eg I know GA has one that's like $5 for 2 years.. which is SOOOO worth it) and some are even free (e.g. TN which you can sign up on the web!). Simply sign up and generally they only update their lists quarterly, but as of then you should notice a TREMENDOUS decrease in the number of telemarket calls you get. I've done both the above and they have worked like a charm... and I know there area bunch of other states that do similar stuff... just search for them or even call your local Bell/phone company.

But note that these lists are not applicable to "non-profit" organization like the Fireman or Shriners or such. So these people can always call you... so that's when you just use your caller ID... "out of area" .. I think not... and I think that companies that you "do business with" such as your credit card companies and utilities and such are still allowed to "contact" you... so then you can use the worderful tactics listed above.

PS. If anyone figures out how to bust these telemarketers or ever success in getting one of them fined.. I would LOVE to hear about it!!!

 

[esoteric0]

if it's a female calling you (and they usually are, in my experience) try to pick her up. ask her name, how old she is, if she's hot, where she is, etc. it usually freaks them out.

 

[VTHodge]

Advice on the topic from Clark Howard

 

[SCTrojan]

The best way to get rid of a telemarketer, four little words "what are you wearing?" Of course this could have a Seinfeldian backfire where a guy on the other end of the line wants to smuggle your sausage:disgust:

 

[manko]

I recently read a commentary somewhere that said if everyone who picks up a telemarketing call just lets sets the phone down (not hanging up) and leaves the room, letting the guy/gal continue their spiel, then the telemarketing companies would go out of business.

They have to make X calls a day, so if they get 100s of people a day leaving the phone on the table - they get NO SALES = no money = out of business.

Anyway, it's a funny thought.

 

[Miyh]

Tom Mabe has found a way to make a living off these telemarketers. Tom Mabe's Album

 

[emonkey]

anyone have a wav file of that tone? i want to put it on my answering machine too...

 

[lebowsky]

I live in TN and signed up on the "do not call list." I get absolutely no telemarketers calling me anymore. The service is free and the telemarketing companies actually get fined if they call a person who is on this list. One of the few perks of living in TN!

 

[Jombo]

emonkey..
got the tone off the website listed above by syrex. enjoy~

 

[w3b]

california doesnt have it yet... must wait til 2003..

link to info for california