Dish Network keeps calling -- what can I do?

[focus]

We keep getting telemarketer calls from people trying to sell me Dish. I don't really mind the occasional telemarketer call....but these guys keep calling.

It's particularly obnoxious because these guys call a couple times a day during midmorning and early afternoon, often when my wife is nursing our daughter to sleep, or when she's already asleep. They've woken the kid up from her mid-morning nap multiple times...which sucks when that's really the only nap she takes and the only free time my wife gets during the day.

When we've asked the caller to remove us from their call list, we get sworn at and hung up on. We redial the caller ID number and get an invalid number error. We've called Dish corporate, and they tell us there's nothing they can do, that the people calling us are independent, and they have no control over it.

We've registered our number on the DoNotCall registry, and hopefully that will help.... though that won't take effect for another month even if it does anything.

Any other ideas/suggestions?

[GoldMember]

The Do Not Call registry works pretty good. Short of that, you're probably kind of screwed until it goes into effect. When they call, just hang up without saying anything.

[lemon boy]

Fuck that, get their information and then ask to go on the DNC list.

[Keoni]

Next time they call, play along and do a little probing. Find out the name of the actual company, get a call back number.

Turn the info over to the FTC

[freaks~in~creeks]

tell them to call you at your home number-307 734 8192

[edg]

"Hey there! Yeah, we got Dish on the advice of one of your colleagues - it's great! We're customer number 102843, in case you need to do something to clear us from the list!"

edg

[focus]

Next time they call, play along and do a little probing. Find out the name of the actual company, get a call back number.

Turn the info over to the FTC

I tried...he kept asking for a cc #, then hung up. I'll try harder next time....?

[mrw]

" Oh wow, yeah, I really want this, hold on a minute"

Put the phone down and walk away. Let him hang there for like an hour and hang up

repeat as needed

[Keoni]

I wonder if, "Suck my cock motherfucker", would have any effect?

edit: I think I'd still call the FTC, and let Dish Network deal with a little slap on the hands.

[fortysix&2]

The phone-off-the-hook works well from experience. As does the, "Mr. Smith just passed away. Please remove him from your list."

[summit]

Evil former telemarketer says:

"I am not interested. REMOVE ME FROM YOUR CALL LIST. I have made a RECORD of this request. Do not call back."

That should work immediatly.

National (and state) DNC registries take up to 1 month (up to 3 with some states) to take effect for your number once you add yourself.

[summit]

Follow my suggestion to effectively end the calls. The handing the phone to your five your old or putting the phone down etc to piss them off... that is not smart. Don't screw with the telemarketers... they are bored and in a burnout job. If you piss them off they'll just pass your number around the office as a "screw with this person" flag.

[upallnight]

I tried...he kept asking for a cc #, then hung up. I'll try harder next time....?

I'm sure you're joking on that... but it's obviously not legit.

[skiguide]

Whenever DISH calls, and they ask why i'm not interested, i say:

Two words, bitches:

SUNDAY TICKET.
(they dont' have a good answer for that one)


but seriously, tell them to take you off the list, and once your number is DNC, and you do get calls, tell them you're on the list & you're going to report them.

[Arty50]

Do a goole search for "suing telemarketers."

There was an article a year or two ago in the Wall Street Journal about a guy who makes a very good living doing exactly that. His name is not on the DNC list. Instead he waits for the shitheads to call, asks to be placed on their individual do not call list (which they never do), and then sues them when they inevitably call back.

You're making money and doing a public service in the process.

[ReaganLogan]

Agreed with all.
In college I worked for a Telemarketer and sold Westing House Security systems. When people were rude to us, we would just set the system to call back. One time we called this guy back over 5 times in less than an hour. If he could of come thru the phone to choke me I am sure he would of...
Anyways it was funny as hell at the time. But like Karma, now I get the telemarketing calls on a regular basis and worse junk e-mails...

[cj001f]

Sick him on them ^^^^^^^^

[ReaganLogan]

Oh yha. Being a Real Estate Broker, I can tell you from our annual continuing Education courses that It is a $10,000 first time offence fine for calling someone on the DNC list... The only bad part is you do not get the money it goes to the Fed. Gov....

[Gebster]

damn those peskey Telemarkers...

[Archie]

Oh yha. Being a Real Estate Broker,...

Neat.
What's your best listing? I'm interested in Michigan beachfront property.

[G]

"Hey there! Yeah, we got Dish on the advice of one of your colleagues - it's great! We're customer number 102843, in case you need to do something to clear us from the list!"

That's a great idea, and probably the best suggestion in this thread.

I, however, like to have some fun with them. Stupid people are easy to fuck with, and it's my life's goal to never be the first to hang up in a telemarketing call. I've only lost the game once - talking to a cute sounding young girl, and doing my best to be pornographic and explicit. She could give it right back to me even faster than I could dish it out!

Actually, I think that was the best phone sex I've ever had. I should have bought her product, she sure earned the sale.
.

[ANON-505]

Get a fax number, even if it's Dish Corporate. (btw, that sounds lame to me...They might contract sales out to private co's, but I'm sure they have contact with these companies).

Then, after hours (start at 10 PM), fax them an all black page with a short note (in white letters) asking them to remove your number from the list. Then, send it to them 1000 times.
You'll only have to send it once, but they'll spend a couple hundred dollars on black ink for the fax machine.

[Nohillsnearby]

Neat.
What's your best listing? I'm interested in Michigan beachfront property.

The best Michigan beachfront property that I stayed in was the Carl Sandberg house. Really cool house!

On topic: We get a lot of calls from fundraisers. I've been telling them we have decided to direct our giving through our church. That usually works. OF course, if I have to say hello more than once, I hang up.

[upallnight]

I, however, like to have some fun with them. Stupid people are easy to fuck with

well....at least they've got a job. i have to say that being a telemarketer sucks -- people are saying no at least 99% of the time, and you have to sit there and take it. it's tough work. don't get me wrong -- i hate the calls just as much as the next guy, but i feel sorry for the folks. they're trying to buy skis, feed families, get booze & drugs just like everyone here... and they have to contend with pressure from the company/managers and rejection/insults/anger from the people on the other end.

sucks all around.

remember: if NO ONE said yes, there wouldn't be a business...but those few folks that actually accept the services make it worthwhile for the companies to use this technique. ugh.

[upallnight]

Get a fax number, even if it's Dish Corporate. (btw, that sounds lame to me...They might contract sales out to private co's, but I'm sure they have contact with these companies).

Then, after hours (start at 10 PM), fax them an all black page with a short note (in white letters) asking them to remove your number from the list. Then, send it to them 1000 times.
You'll only have to send it once, but they'll spend a couple hundred dollars on black ink for the fax machine.

technically, it's also illegal to do this for the same reason they can't call your cell phone -- one party is forcing the other to spend money (whether it's using cell phone minutes or paper/ink in a fax machine).

it'd probably be effective, but it's going tit for tat.

do you have caller ID? can you block #s? can your wife (at least temporarily) turn off the ringer when she's putting the baby to sleep?

just some practical suggestions.