One of the ways some people get into debt is through unwanted sales approaches like Telemarketers, SPAM mail, and door-to-door sales. I had the oddest one stop today at my home. Somehow they knew I had a kid, and wanted to sell me encyclopedias. He wouldn’t leave even though I kept saying , "No you can’t come in. I don’t want any." Finally, I just closed the door in his face and said if he didn’t leave I’d call the police.
I can be very rude to people who refuse to acknowledge my right to private property and time. How how knew I had a kid is a mystery. Creepy.
Now many of these businesses are perfectly legitimate –if annoying--- ways to sell merchandise, but many target people who are easy marks., the elderly, hearing impaired, fixed income, and others who are the least able to deal with financial strain. Some are just out right scams. Last year in our town, some local criminal followed the local news carrier around and then called homes claiming to be the newspaper trying to collect for the paper. Since I had direct pay, I just called the paper and the police and reported the call, but some elderly people actually gave credit card to these monsters.
So beware!
And just realize though we like to be nice and pleasant to people, if you get these calls, JUST HANG UP!
If you get emails from SPAM sites, JUST DELETE THEM!
IF some guy won’t leave when you say "No I don’t want any." JUST CLOSE THE DOOR!
These people are invading your privacy. They MAY be criminals. You don’t have to be nice.
Within a month there will be a NATIONAL DO NOT CALL REGISTRY. This way the auto-dailer at the local telemarketing firm won’t get your number. If they do --- Just say," I am on the Do NOT CALL REGISTRY." If they persist they are breaking the law! They are exhibiting criminal behavior. JUST HANG UP!
Some states already have DO NOT CALL REGISTRIES. They are:
Alabama Jul99 www.psc.state.al.us 877 727 8200
Alaska Nov96 www.law.state.ak.us/consumer/tele_alaska.html 907 564 1133
Arkansas Jan00 www.donotcall.org 501 682 7383
California Jul03 www.nocall.doj.state.ca.us/
Colorado May02 www.coloradonocall.com 888 249 9097
Connecticut Jan01 www.state.ct.us/dcp 800 842 2649
Florida Oct87 www.800helpfla.com 800 435 7352
Georgia Jan99 www.ganocall.com 877 426 6225
Idaho Jan01 www2.state.id.us/ag/consumer/nocalllist.htm 800 432 3545
Indiana Jan02 www.ai.org/attorneygeneral/telephoneprivacy/ 888 834 9969
Kentucky Jul02 www.kycall0.net/ 502 696 5389
Louisiana Apr02 www.host.ntg.com/donotcall/ 877 676 0773
Maine Aug01 www.state.me.us/ag 207 626 8861
Massachusetts Jan03 www.state.ma.us/consumer/New/pr123102.htm 866 231
2255
Minnesota Jan03 www.DMS/nocall/nocall_register_start.asp 800 921 4110
Missouri Jul01 www.ago.state.mo.us/nocalllaw.htm 866 662 2551
New York Apr01 www.consumer.state.ny.us 866 622 5569
Oklahoma Nov02 www.204.87.100.28/oagweb.nsf/DoNotCall!OpenPage 800 390 5708
Oregon Jan00 www.ornocall.com 877 700 6622
Pennsylvania Aug02 www.nocallsplease.com 888 777 3406
Tennessee Jul00 www.state.tn.us/tra/nocall.htm 877 872 7030
Texas Jul02 www.texasnocall.com 866 896 6225
Wisconsin Jan03 www.nocall.wisconsin.gov/web/home.asp 866 966 2255
Just go to your state site to get your name off call lists.
The New National DO NOT Call Registry is at:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/donotcall/index.html
Have fun taking your name off these annoying lists.
For more ideas Check out these Frugal Living Books!
Complete Tightwad Gazzette
The Complete Tightwad Gazzette
Declare Your Finanacial Independence
Declare Your Financial Independence
Complete Cheapskate
Mary Hunt's Complete Cheapskate
Miserly Moms
Miserly Moms
You Can Afford to Stay Home With your Kids
You can Afford to stay Home WIth your Kids
