Bloghound

I didn’t know how bad my life - and so much marketing - was until I came up to my remote cabin and started to pick up the phone - to telemarketers. In fact it rings so much that I’m astounded. (We forgot to register the phone line on Do Not Call List.)

I’ve got debt over $6,000 and am paying 29% interest. (No). I - or one of my family members - have diabetes. (No) I could be saving  by subscribing to Direct TV (I have no television). My auto warranty has expired. (No again). I could finally qualify for a medical insurance discount program. (I already have insurance). I’m the victim of debt collector predators/ (Yes, if you count your company.)

All these calls tell me that it’s urgent and critical that I talk with them today.

Most of these pre-recorded messages are sent out with voice blaster technology that blasts messages to everyone who hasn’t signed up for Do Not Call. (In fact two of the telemarketers explained this to me.) If you dial 1 to get to a person, most of the people you end up talking to are some of the most unprofessional people I’ve ever had the displeasure of dealing with.

What’s most disturbing is that a lot of the good folks in this rural area are elderly or don’t have a lot of education; I fear that these fear-mongering marketers are taking advantage of them. Or maybe everyone can see through these predatory tactics?

Does anyone know whether there’s a central place on the Web to report these companies? Kind of like a global Better Business Bureau that we can contribute to? Seems like using Web 2.0 for better consumer protection is order….

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