Receive many phone calls from 1-417-800-2511 asking for Japanese male 18 or above to participate in a studies. My number is unlisted and registered with the 'do-not-call' list. The rep on the phone was unable to clarify how they get my number.
I think they've called me before. They called yesterday (Tuesday, May 28th) at 2:14 p.m. I was taking a nap so my ringer was turned off! But I never answer calls from names and numbers I don't recognize. Most of them stop ringing before my voice mail picks up. I have my phone set to go to voice mail after 4 rings. If I'm busy, resting, or away on a trip I turn the ringer off. This way I don't have to put up with an incessantly ringing phone. I've been doing it this way for some time now, and I believe that these calls are becoming fewer! I feel that there's no sense in getting upset or angry over these calls. They're like the weather. They're gonna happen, and there's nothing we can do about it!
BTW, I'm talking about a land line phone service through my cable company. They have call blocking, but it's limited to 12 numbers.
Sir B. My opening comment post on this thread was to define what a Telemarketer was, as defined by the FTC.
That being, "Telephone sales of Goods and Services" The subsequent post of accusation bashings evolved from that, based upon assumption and pure lack of knowledge.
No debating about whether anything was illegal or not, nor was I debating any type of illegal activity.
Simply, The definition of Telemarketing. And I stand by my comments! Anyone and everyone has been invited to go to the FTC/DNC site and read their definition of Telemarketing. If anyone finds anything other than what I have said is the Basic FTC definition, then let's hear it. Quote it and I will stand corrected. In the mean time, at least
Casa took the time to validate me as a member of this board.....and not some scammer. I believe Casa, Kyle, Gunnar and others have have offered the same courtesy under similar circumstances.
A solicitation call can be any number of legitimate callers or illegal callers. Soliciting for Charities, non-profit, surveys, opinion polls, political polls, and informational calls. Illegals include scammers and actual Registered Telemarketers, registered with the FTC as such, who are not abiding by the list and the rules of the DNC. Those Registered and legitimateTelemarketers, when a noticeable amout of complaints are filed, are easily found and fined by the FTC for violation of the DNC. They can be found through Registration or by simply picking up a phone book since all legitimate Telemarketing companies have a physical address, local business telephone numbers, and are anchored by all of the proprieties and necessities of a consumer based business. The FTC fine for Telemarketing illegally is $16K. If you want to stop actual Telemarketers, why not learn what the FTC considers them to be? Whether it is welcomed or not does not constitute or define it as a Telemarketing call. Telemarketing as defined by the FTC. = Telephone sales of goods or services. No I am not one of them. I am apparently one of the few on this thread who is halfway knowledgable of the subject at hand and willing to stand corrected if you or anyone else has a different definition of Telemarketing than the FTC. If I am the one calling, explain to me how my attempts to clarify what a Telemarketer is would benefit me by explaining the same thing that the FTC/DNC explains at their site. That would be hardly any benefit to a scammer.
Attempting to encourage others to become more knowledgable of what type of caller is calling them, by going to the FTC/DNC site and reading/learning instead of making unbased, and shoot from the hip accusations is constitutes a scammer? It is just plain thoughtless. Why would anyone encourage people to educate themselves concerning unwanted callers in order to properly file complaints with the FTC, and not get them tossed due to misinformation and invalid complaints? When a complaint is filed with the FTC before anything is accepted, it is validated. If you file a complaint and report as a telemarketer, the first thing that the FTC does is check their list of Registered Telemarketers. If it is not there, and nothing is given that actually validate it, other than it is an unwanted call, it goes to file 13.
To come here to complain and not do anything productive about stopping illegal callers, is preaching to the choir and wating a lot of space and effort. For those who take the time to educate themselves and know
how the FTC/DNC actually classifies callers is doing a greater service in reporting valid and usable complaints and eventually stopping scofflaws, than those that do nothing but point a finger and make accusations based on a lack of knowledge with nothing better in which to challenge. Again, I encourage everyone, if you have an opnion or assumption, please go to the FTC/DNC/FCC sites and read......become a part of the solution by learning how to defend your rights and accuse those unwelcomed callers, the valid way, with the FTC.
I started out on this thread with a single post, merely defining what a telemarketer was as defined by the FTC.
I have been accused of being the scammer and everything except a bank robber. Whether or not you want to become a part of the solution is up to you. But don't accuse others who are trying to inform or recommend you doing your own verifiable research of trying to scam you. But at least do something besides make up you own logic and rational to justify your dissatisfaction with an unwanted caller. Label them for what they are, and use that information to report to the FTC....thereby becoming part of the solution to the unwelcomed callers.
Well, it may not technically fit the definition of a telemarketing call, but they are using the telephone to market something under the guise of a survey. Most importantly, I'm not interested in any call I get that I don't want what they're offering, so this is telemarketing in MY DEFINITION! And my definition is the one that counts.
I have not received any calls from this number. You are correct on a couple of counts. They do NOT fit the difinition of a Telemarketer, as defined by the FTC, and apparently based upon reading others posts, they may be attempting to get people to go with them on a class action suit, possibly seeking volunteers (with payment) for a drug studies and/or test, or just participating in some sort of survey. ......I don't know nor can I confirm this since they have not called me and mine would be just another "opnion" based upon a lack of information and entirely upon what other posts have said, none of which would constitute telemarketing under the FTC definition. And those posts do differ in translating the caller's intent. Whether it is in fact or a fake survey, and attempting to acquire people to participate in any test or class action suit, it still is not a Telemarketer until and if and when an attempt is made by the caller to Market goods or services for compensation from the person they are calling. Seeking potential applicants to foster a class action law suit may be unethical, sneaky, and an unwanted phone call, it is not illegal nor is it Telemarketing. Writing your own definition of a telemarketer doesn't make it a usable, valid, prosecutable or acceptable defining complaint when reporting to the FTC and trying to do anybody any good in putting the scofflaws out of business. It is in fact your OWN DEFINITION! And worth about as much...