Do Not Call Me--Ever

Twice in the last six months I've called what's supposed to be a 'do not call' list. You are aware of these come on calls because you, like me, receive anywhere from ten to fifteen phone messages on a daily basis from taped recorded voices wanting to sell me things I don't need. If they aren't taped recorded then they're folks from the Philippines telling me my Microsoft server needs to be updated. Why they do this is beyond me because I can't understand a word they're saying because I can hear a hundred other voices in the background.

This age of instant information amazes me as to the type of calls I receive. When I was in my forties and fifties requests centered around vacations spots in the Bahamas and river cruises around the world. Now, virtually every phone message deals with old age health products and home security systems. One call I haven't heard deals with erectile dysfunction. I'd listen to that one.

So, what to do. Obviously, the 'do not call list' doesn't work. My suspicion is whoever runs it is in cahoots with the people who bug me. This makes sense doesn't it?

My next question is, who would buy from these clowns except the elderly with Alzheimer's? I hope the taped messages are monitored to see how long it is before they hear 'click'. I recently read there's a scam whereby as soon as you pick up your phone you are automatically charged $20. There are, I suspect, some folks in this country who don't have caller ID on there phones but it's always a pain to get up, run to the phone, then look to see who's bugging you. My suggestion is if you don't know the area code don't answer. Another giveaway is when your caller ID reads, 'anonymous' or 1-800.

In my house we subscribe to Time-Warner. Did you know you can call the company and ask them to place the in call number on your TV screen and it costs nothing? This is about the only thing Time-Warner does for free aside from providing rotten service.

I'll give it a go again today, getting on the computer and once again sending in a request to the 'do not call' folks knowing it'll be a waste of time. It isn't the first and last time I'll be buffaloed. I'm used this treatment. It's a part of life.