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Gydyon Waterlapper had this to say about Punky Brewster:
Don't let the bastards bring you down, Azy!!!!!

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What he said! But I thought it was "Don't let the bastards wear your down"... Anyways:

Illegitimi non carborundum!

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Drysart had this to say about Reading Rainbow:

But seriously, before they call you back again, call up your credit card company. You can find their CS number on your last statement from them. Then when the magazine people call back you can tell them that you've either had a chargeback issued, and/or had any future charges from them blocked. That'll pretty much cancel out any threats they can sling your way.

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After my last post, I had logged off as I didn't give the company my cell phone mumber, and haven't gotten a call yet.

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Azymyth had this to say about Captain Planet:
When I got my first a credit card statement, I recall: The name was different on the statement. I brought this up because I wasn't told of it before. They said it had always been part of thier name. I also said that when I did call the number on that statement, it didn't seem to work.

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Check the back of your credit card then. There's usually a CS number in little teeny tiny print on the back of the card.

Whenever one calls you, politely interrupt them and state clearly and categorically that you wish them to remove you from their marketting list for all products and services. Then ask for their name, their CSR ID number and the name of their superior. In most states they have to provide this information under law.

Then they will not call you again. I have used this trick many times and have never been called by the same company again. (California).

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Fippy had this to say about Cuba:
It's fun to be rude to telmarketers or put the phone down on them, but that only delays the inevitable.

Whenever one calls you, politely interrupt them and state clearly and categorically that you wish them to remove you from their marketting list for all products and services. Then ask for their name, their CSR ID number and the name of their superior. In most states they have to provide this information under law.

Then they will not call you again. I have used this trick many times and have never been called by the same company again. (California).

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Actually, those are Federal laws, so that will work in any state in the union.

To do it one better though, be sure to tell them to add you to their "Do Not Call" list.

If you just ask them to remove you from their list, they'll do just that, and there's a good chance you'll start getting calls from them again next time they buy a new list from someone that you're on. If you get on their Do Not Call list, you're on it for 5 years, during which time they're not allowed by law to call you again. If they do you can take them to small claims court and be awarded $50 per incident.

You can also send a letter with your name, address, and telephone number to the Direct Marketing Association.

Telephone Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014

They keep a list that's updated quarterly of people who don't want to receive phone calls. This will stop A LOT of calls since most telemarketing firms use this list since it's just wasting their time calling people who don't want to be called anyway. You'll be on their list for 5 years as well.

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Fippy had this to say about Matthew Broderick:
It's fun to be rude to telmarketers or put the phone down on them, but that only delays the inevitable.

Whenever one calls you, politely interrupt them and state clearly and categorically that you wish them to remove you from their marketting list for all products and services. Then ask for their name, their CSR ID number and the name of their superior. In most states they have to provide this information under law.

Then they will not call you again. I have used this trick many times and have never been called by the same company again. (California).

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Drysart's right about the Do Not Call list, but I believe you've got some things wrong, Fippy. I work in CS, and we're not required by law to tell them anything. As good customer service, however, we can give them our first name, and the first name of our supervisor. We can't give out last names, and we don't have CSR ID numbers.

Some call centers might work how you described, but every one I've worked in is the same as the one I work in now.

I sort of mixed up my touchpoints by mentioning CSR's and telemarketters in the same paragraph. The two are not equal Sorry for the confusion.

What do I know, I'm a blue gnoll? Maybe being rude to telemarketters does work after all.

Why not.. @home did it with my email

Now if I just turn off my computer as well, then......bzzzzzttttttt

I cancelled my phone on the spot, and just used cellular. Where it's still illegal to call and solicit, since I'm paying for the airtime.

When I get a telemarketing call, I don't even bother being rude: I simply hang up.