In a message dated 07/09/2004 22:48:53 GMT Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Registering your number with the Telephone Preference Service should > help a lot - it takes a while for the system to kick in but we now get > very few of those calls. If I do - and I'm always very suspicious when > someone can't pronounce my surname!) I ask what they are selling. If > the answer is 'Oh I'm not selling anything...." and then they go on to > speak about fitted kitchens, double glazing, insurance or whatever my > reply is "You tell lies as well" and put the phone down. Telephone > Preference Service info is at the front of the BT Phone Book. > We are exdirectory - no listing - so when you ring up the directories to get us we appear to not have a phone. So, a few weeks ago I got a call at 6:30pm and thinking it's my mum, I picked up the phone all bright and cheery to be greated by a girl wanting to know if I was interested in double glazing. I asked her exactly who she was calling on behalf of and how to contact her (this was so I can report them to Oftel if I want). Seeing as I was that terrible person who caused all of the UK spiders to be offered a chargecard from BT I happend to know all about telemarketing and the calling rules so I asked how come she had our number as we were ex directory. She replied that they used sequential dialling to get us (ie they start at 020 8XXX 0000 and increase the phone number by one each time they dial). I very sweetly informed her that this was illegal in telemarketing and had been so for over 4 years and that if she did not remove us from her power dialler immeadiately I would be reporting her to Oftel. She said that she couldn't influence the dialer and was promptly told that she could influence her supervisor and the dialler supervisor and as I had her name and the company she had better try. On putting the phone down the Aussie gave me a round of applause. Regards Liz in London I'm back blogging my latest lace piece - have a look by clicking on the link or going to http://journals.aol.com/thelacebee/thelacebee To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace-chat [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]