So You Can Bitch at Telemarketers

For most people, telemarketers are annoying. And there are those people who actually like them. I am not one of them. I would like to scream at the phone, but I don't because I know that they are just doing their jobs. But if you ask for the supervisor, you can yell at that person. Lately I've been getting calls to my cell phone, and they get an earful.

Know your rights! This first link is a CBC post that gives great information (these are Canadian regulations, the States is a bit different). According to this, the person (at the start of the call!) must give you a toll-free number that you can phone back. They are also supposed to give you a registration number if you ask to be taken off the list. I've never had a telemarketer say either of those things, so I'm ready to raise some hell next time.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/telemarketing/crtc-rules.html

The second link is to the CRTC itself, and they outline the rules that telemarketers have to follow.

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/INFO_SHT/t1022.htm

I'm currently looking for lists of telemarketer phone numbers on the web, and I'm thinking about phoning their main offices and trying to sell them something. I'll let you know if that happens.