Stop Telemarketers from Calling You

With this simple trick, telemarketers will think your phone is disconnected and will (hopefully) stop calling you. We seem to have had success with this so far, so go ahead and try it! All you will need is a computer with speakers (preferably near your phone).

Step 1 Get the "Phone Disconnected" Message

Go to this link. Find the "Disconnected number" sound (.wav file) and save it to your desktop. If you need help with either of these, see the pictures.

Comments

[jfeuling]

As a former telemarketer (please don't say any thing, I needed the money and have already taken enough abuse for it), I can say that if you do it right it will work 100% of the time. Most of the time they are only half paying attention until a voice comes on. The second a disconnected starts most will terminate the call and move on to the other few hundred calls they have to do.

[explosivemaker]

....hang up on them in mid-sentence.... ....ask them for their home phone number so you can return their call while they are trying to eat dinner..... .....start speaking a different language....swear at them in German or something until they hang up..... ....just start asking them random questions about themselves..... ....go on a rant while explaining something that happened that day..... ....try and get them to give you relationship advice.....

[lieuwe]

 say no to everything they ask, almost couldn't stop laughing when they hung up,

him:can i ask some questions?
me :no
him:it's just a few questions...
me :no
him:that wasn't a question
me :no
etc

[cody777]

also if they are trying to sell u somthing then try to sell them somthing

[TrpJim]

I did this just the other day..told the Dude that I had a big sale going and wanted to get him in on the deal!  He finally said that this was a marketing business & I said so is mine that I wanted to sell him something or anyone else at his work place.......on & on...not giving up until he begged to remove my number from their list..I also asked for his home phone to call him when he got off!  got pretty funny before I let him loose!!

[bwpatton1]

Act like you have worked at their company, then ask them how it has changed and carry on a VERY long conversation till they give up and try to get away!

[plzhelp]

It sounds too American for an Australian phone....

[app0]

I don't remember, But Venta (ventafax.ru) apps can play sounds directly to the phone line using your modem

[alexh1995]

If you can set that up, it's even better! Then, you don't have to make sure that the room's quiet and everything.

[app0]

but there's no phone ads in Russia.

[chrisbaker]

Automate it: record this sound on your answering machine before the outgoing message. I've read (but can't confirm) that some auto-dialers will detect this sound & remove your number from their database.

[tastyklean]

in the uk, phone your operator (BT 100 NTL/VIRGIN 150) ask about the preferece list, its free to join and takes 30 days to activate but no one should ring afterwards. or ask about the silent caller list for recorded messages

[alexh1995]

I assume that that's similar to the "Do Not Call" list here in the U.S.

[twocvbloke]

Yep, it's full name is the "Telephone preference service", but "Do not call" ame sounds more appropriate... :D

[temp]

Another way is to say "just one second" then walk away for a few hours. =O

[alexh1995]

I wonder how long they actually stay on... Anyways, that's pretty good too.