How to end robocalls

I saw a number of inquiries here expressing frustration with robocalls and political pollsters.  Here's my solution which was born out of frustration with the telcos inability to regulate themselves and the FCCs feeble attempts at enforcement.

I've always been registered with the DNC registry, but I re-registered all my numbers with the DNC registry and waited the prescribed amount of time just to be sure.  Then I started talking to every telemarketer and robocaller who dares to call me.  Yes, I actually talk to them.  I think of it as taking one for the team.  For every second I keep them engaged, I'm saving someone out there from a ringing phone.

Rather than be upset, I just let them go through their script while injecting comments and questions to make them think I'm interested.  I let them think that they are going to close the deal of a lifetime and hit their quota with a single call.  In the end, I make up some excuse like, "hang on, my daughter is calling me".  I set the phone down and walk away.  My kids know what's up when they see the phone sitting on the kitchen counter with the line still active because they have been properly trained.  In other cases I just stop them short after 5 minutes and explain that I was never interested and that they should honor the DNC registry.

I've had a car insurance quote get to 4 vehicles before the guy asked me if they were for real...  I take a long time to decide if I want to plunk down $89 for a trip to Hawaii, because as much as I want to go there, I need to make sure the accommodations are what I am used to... you get the idea.

If it's a political polling organization, I can usually figure out their agenda after a couple questions and then answer completely opposite to what they are trying to "steer" me towards.  I have to laugh when they go "off script" to try to sway me and I have to remind them that they are polling me and to go to the next question.

And finally, if they get upset with you, just politely let them know they would not have wasted their time if they honored the DNC registry.  They can be mad as ***, but the DNC list is really easy for them to access and they have no excuse for not using it.

Just imagine if everyone did this?  In the end it's a numbers game for the robocallers.  They need to hit a lot of numbers in as short amount of time as possible.  If they get tripped up on just a few percent of those calls their profit model falls apart and they start looking for a different line of work.

So next time your phone rings... Smile and take one for the team!

Cheers

P.S. The thing that really disgusts me is when I hear of the elderly or handicapped being taken advantage of by these people.  I honestly don't know how those people sleep at night.