Telemarketers
can be eliminated by joining the national opt-out list. It really does work,
believe me. But there are other things you can do: 1. Say, "Hold on, I'll
be right there," set the phone down and walk away. 2. Blow an airhorn into
the phone. 3. Just ask them to put you on their do-not-call list. They are
obliged to do the latter. The final option is to yank all your landlines out and
go cellular, with built-in caller ID. If the caller's name is programmed into
your phone, their name and number will come up. Otherwise you will just get the
number. Don't recognize it? Don't answer it.
Obscene phone calls can be annoying. Most of the
time, they are one-time occurrences. Hang up immediately. If you continue to get
calls, keep a log and report it to the phone company. Caller ID is wonderful for
that. Most idiots who make obscene phone calls don't know what numbers to press
to defeat your caller ID. There is NO such thing as a smart crook. If the
problem persists, also call the police. If you are a woman living alone, it's
suggested that your telephone number should be listed with just your first
initial, e.g., J. Rousselle...(xxx) xxx-xxxx. That trick is too old. Instead if
you WANT to be listed (I never was) in the phone book, ask the phone company to
list you under any name you want, and they will. I could be listed under
Blackdog. Melva could be listed under Big Bull. You get the idea. You just have
to tell people where to find your phone number. That costs you nothing. If you
want an unlisted phone number, which I had for years, it costs you every month
to NOT print your phone number.
Finally, be really sure who you're talking to on the
phone, no matter who they say they are. Get a
number and call back. Especially if they want personal information. I received a
call from UPS recently because they could not read the last four digits of my
credit card number. Whooee! Now that's the kind of call you want to verify very
well. They had to read me the entire airbill, including the part of my card
number they could read (and the airbill number itself, as well as the pickup
confirmation number) before I would provide the info. The call was quite legit,
but check it out thoroughly before you provide any such info.
My personal preference?
Get rid of land lines and just use cell phones. They're easier, they go with you
everywhere, family packages are available and other reasons. I have a national
plan with 850 anytime minutes and unlimited night and weekend minutes. It costs me
$65/month. Does it seem high? Sure. But I work from home, am self-employed and
do all my work with that phone. I have cable ISP. I use Cingular, so my minutes
roll over if I don't use the full 850 daytime minutes in a given month. Why do I
like it? 1. I'm paying about half of what I used to pay with land lines, fax
machine, fax line and a limited-use cell phone. 2. You can find me 24/7, and I
sold the faxes, shut down both lines and eliminated all the stress. 3.
Telemarketers never call cell phones. 4. The caller ID is built in. It's a
wonderful convenience. If you are interested, here are some facts to know:
* Consumer Reports rates Verizon #1 because of service, followed by Cingular. I
have had Cingular since Day 1, and have never had a bit of problem with my phone
service or when calling customer service. They bend over backward to help you,
in my opinion.
* Cingular owns AT&T, so just do Cingular if you're going that way.
* T-Mobile is a German company, and I would prefer to keep my money in the U.S.
(or Canada) thank you.
* Some companies offer better coverage in certain areas, so check that out
before you buy. Since I spend most all my time in either Detroit or Pittsburgh,
Cingular is best for me.
Blackdog
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