Since I moved into my new house, I would estimate that at least 50% of the calls I get are from telemarketers or for donation solicitation. I get a fair number of calls, so that's a LOT of irritation.

I saw an ad for the TeleZapper today (www.telezapper.com). Do you guys believe their claims? I'm looking for some opinions before I either buy this or go postal!

 

I've been using the telezapper since late December (got one for Christmas), and my annoying calls have all but stopped. My understanding is that if a call is computer generated, the telezapper's tone when you answer makes the computer think the number has been disconnected and it is deleted from the telemarketer's database of numbers.

Of course, if your caller dials up the old fashioned way, the telezapper does no good.

Based on my experience, I would recommend it.

 

I pay verizon $5 / month to "block" calls that come up as "unidentified", "out of area", and "private" on caller ID. It takes care of about 90%+ of all my telemarketing calls. When one of those types of calls occurs, it sends the caller to a pre-recorded message asking them to state their name before it will ring though. I've never actually had a telemarketer try.

I have still gotten calls from "Oklahoma", "Win10000", and "Free Pagers" which all show up as legitimate caller ID names.

I hate paying Verizon any more money per month than I already do, but so far it's worth it. I didn't get the telezapper because I was too sceptical.

 

The technology behind the telezapper is sound - the vast majority of telemarketers use predective dialers - computers that constantly dial numbers from a list until they get a person. When they do they transfer the call to an agent (hence the pause that often occurs when a telemarketer calls). The PD software listens for the tones used by telcos when an unreachable number is called, and the telezapper sends out the 'number disconnected' tone.

Problem is, it won't be hard to reprogram PDs to wait past that tone to listen for a 'hello' or other indicator of a live line. The other problem is that your name and number is CONSTANTLY being sold, over and over, so a few months from now it'll be back in the PDs database to call again...

 

I just use the old technology of screening my calls with an answering machine.

 

I used to be nice and tell the caller I wasn't interested, or I don't accept phone solicitations, etc etc then I realized I don't owe these people anything for pestering me. Now when I determine it's a telemarketer, I hhang up without saying a word. Still get calls, but I feel better.

 

Have you done this sondra?
http://www.texasnocall.com/

 

It works great....Now if I could just do something about the (Unknown Caller) I would be Happy.

 

I pay an extra $4 a month for Privacy Manager, which filters out 99.99% of telemarketer's calls.

From Ma Bell's description: "Privacy Manager is a new call screening service that works with Caller ID to identify all incoming calls that have no telephone numbers provided and which are identified as Anonymous, Unavailable, Out-of-Area, or Private, and makes callers identify themselves in order to complete the call. "

 

I work for SWB and Privacy Manager is in very high demand, but it has it's limitations (like if the telemarketers actually show a name on the ID).

This all started with "anonymous" calls from the telemarketers, then we created "anonymous call rejection" so they started using "Unknown"..."Out of Area"...etc. Now that there is Privacy Manager the telemarketers will start putting their name on the ID instead of Unknown, Out of Area, Private, etc.

Sondra, do the Texas No-Call thing, get the Telezapper, and Privacy Manager and you should be OK for at least a few months