I apologize to this board for posting this.
The following link it to the FTC’s National Do Not Call list and it accepts Land lines as well as cell phones. www.donotcall.gov
According to that site the FCC prohibits telemarketers from calling cell phones with auto-dialers.
Again I apologize for this post.
The difficulty lies in the fact that you can now “port” your home or other cell phone number to another cell phone when you buy it … it used to be possible to tell a cell phone by its prefix (useful where I work at 911…) but no longer … really any number can go anyplace. As such the deniability of “we had no idea” is the work-around for the telemarketers. And, even then, the numbers dial sequentially… we get telemarketers on 911 all the time as they sequentially dial the various cell towers’ 911 access numbers, tandem trunks, etc and come in one by one on the emergency and regular lines as well. Telling them to remove the number or asking for a supervisor and explaining will stop the problem … until next week.
So, illegal or not … here it comes.
I myself have not used the “do not call” list. In addition to seeming to have very little impact on the number of calls received, it’s still something being contested in court (apparently some of the telemarketers feel their rights are being violated) and should they ever win, the whole thing is a government document, and therefore available through the Freedom of Information Act to any telemarketer wanting to update their database. Besides which, “charitable organizations” political groups, and anyone you’ve ever done business with (or anyone who someone who’s ever had your number before has done business with ) are exempt from the restriction…
It’s about like trying to stop spam.
Matthew (OV)
And both should be illegal!
Thanks Herb. Many will find the information useful. Warren, I agree with you fully.
JimC.
We do use the do not call service, in 2 years we have had one call. So it does work.
We do get Police Chuggers, I tell them to remove my number, or give the phone to the 3 year old, he likes to talk on the phone.
Or you can just ask them to hold a minute and see if they are still there 30 minutes later.
As far as the phone number, well its in the book, I saw no purpose having a phone if people could not find the number.
My Cell is a Cell prefix, no problem.
I sometimes ask what they are wearing. It seems to throw them off their pace.
Another trick is:
Caller: “Hello, this is David, with XYZ Corp, and I just want a moment of your time.” (First lie)
Me: “David! How the H*ll are you? I haven’t heard from you in years! How are the wife and kids? Say, did you ever follow up on that stock tip I gave you?” And so on… It seems to work, and is a lot of fun.
On the other hand, being one of those callers is hard work, they have to put up with a**holes lke me. Besides, at least they have a job, are paying taxes, and are not on welfare. Several of my patients were doing that job when they started coming to see me, all are still employed, doing well, and one owns her own company.
Unfortunately, that industry is very stress orientated and, having worked in that industry…in the IT department…I’ve seen the mental toll it takes on most workers. Yes Steve, you have seen the successful ones. What you have not seen is the ones that are now on SSD for mental problems that surfaced while being a telemarketer. After so much pressure they just crack. You won’t see them because they seek medical attention through Medicaid and state funded medical programs like CHAS…YOUR tax dollars at work…
Oh no!
Good thing I only switch on my cell phone when I need to use it. 
@ Steve
Some time ago I noted that when one picks up the phone on those automated calls there is no background noise at all. I guess the “machine” waits for some audible noise like “hello” to indicate that the call has been answered. In which case I press the “HOLD” button without saying “hello”. 
Warren Mumpower said:Which is why I try to be polite, even as I'm lying to them.
Unfortunately, that industry is very stress orientated and, having worked in that industry..in the IT department..I've seen the mental toll it takes on most workers....:(
Caller: “Is this C Vernell (or Vermell, or Vernelli, or Vennel, or…)?”
Me: “I’m sorry, he’s not at home.” (and, when I’m feeling particularly evil, “They’ve moved, and didn’t leave a forwarding address.”)
The phone companies have a trick up their sleeve that’s available to those that don’t want those calls. It stops automatic dialers in their tracks. When your phone is dialed, a recording states that if you wish to talk to “caller’s name” please press “1”. The dialer can’t press “1” so the call never goes through. It’s an option that you have to sign up for.
posted by accident…disregard and see below. - K (Bob, please deletethis when you get a chance.)
Matthew (OV) said:
In addition to seeming to have very little impact on the number of calls received, it's still something being contested in court (apparently some of the telemarketers feel their rights are being violated) and should they ever win, the whole thing is a government document, and therefore available through the Freedom of Information Act to any telemarketer wanting to update their database. Besides which, "charitable organizations" political groups, and anyone you've ever done business with (or anyone who someone who's ever had your number before has done business with ) are exempt from the restriction.....Matthew (OV)
The Do Not Call list has been challenged in court, but each time has come up on the losing end, both on the state and federal levels. (Colorado’s had such a list for about a year longer than the feds.) That’s not to say that somewhere along the line some shark may not get an injunction, but I’ll enjoy the peace while it lasts.
And our phone numbers are already public information. As are our addresses, how many people live with us in our house (and their ages), how much we owe on our mortgages…
Later,
K
I do not, and never will have a cell type telephone…as far as unwanted calls; I just ask what they are selling then tell them to stuff it where the sun don’t shine. I get fewer than 2 calls per week.
We have call barring for people who withhold their number , that alone dramatically cut the number of cold calls . These sales people don’t want you to keep ringing them , you see .
For those daft enough not to withold their number , I interrupt them with “I am in the middle of cooking , sorry .”
The sad thing is that the caller is usually a youngster trying to earn a few pennies whilst at high school .
Mike
Well if you are sufficiently brain dead not to appreciate that most people are not going to be welcoming your calls, I do not have much sympathy.
I do remember getting a call I guess from India in the UK selling the products of a Canadian life company. Quite amusing as they obviously had no idea how the UK system worked and were reading of a limited script.
A friend of mines daughter did this while she was at Uni (USA), she said that most of the people who would talk were sad lonley old men.
I did do some marketing in the US, cold calling was considered a waste of time as the sort of people who you wanted to talk to would be on the Do Not Call List. Permissive marketing, do a raffle whatever to get peoples names and numbers etc was the best bet.