Tuesday, February 6, 2007

What Really Grinds My Gears*

*Yes, I watched the 4 hour Family Guy marathon on Sunday night. Why do you ask?

So back to what is ticking me off. Telemarketers posing as charities. Apparently, since telemarketers are no longer allowed to use the "unknown number" trick now they're using names like "Boston, MA" and a bunch of city names that I've never heard of and am kind of doubting that they actually are cities. Just a bunch of letters stuck together. And they're all trying to get money for policeman balls (which now that I type it, that looks really bad. HEE!) and fireman cotillions or something equally ridiculous. Not that I wouldn't give money to the cops and firemen. Just not for places 2000 miles away. I would think that these people would have a much better chance of getting people to donate if they called people in THAT state. And then they try to guilt you into it when you say that sorry, but you just can't right now. Then they say something like "How about I put you down for just $10?".

That just pisses me off.

It's bad enough that I'm terrified of the phone, but now when I look at the caller id, I have to think if I know someone in that area because sometimes cell phones come up as a city, state instead of the number or a name.

And you can't report these people to the donotcall people because technically, they're a charity and charities are exempt from that, so apparently they can call you 4 times a day if they feel like it (which one of them actually did to me).

Last year, we made the (apparent) mistake of donating to the breast cancer foundation. This year, I get a call from some guy who sounds like he knows me. He's asking me how I am and what's going on. All sorts of weird questions. This guy kept me on the phone for 20 minutes basically auctioning off this package of stuff he wanted to send me. Finally I just said fine and he said that someone would call later on to confirm and get my info and whatever. Can you guess what happened when they called? Yeah. I just let it ring. Eventually they stopped calling.

I'm absolutely no good with telling people "no". Especially people I don't know. I get flustered and my mind goes blank and I can't think of anything to say.

Also, I did not know this, but apparently when you donate to one charity, they give all your information to their "affiliates", so that's why suddenly there are 7 different charities trying to hit you up for cash. It only took one call to get you on 7 lists, but you can't just tell one to take your name off their list, you have to tell all 7. So irritating!

I always think of great things to say about an hour after I talk to them. And I'm just too chicken to yell at them and tell them to leave me alone. Or hang up on them. And I hate it when they just talk over you and won't let you get a word in edgewise. Do they really think they can wear you down and you'll just give them money?

GAH!

Whew...that's better. I think my blood pressure went back down. I'm sure that was kind of a patchwork rant, but it made me feel better. Oh, and be careful when filling out those entry forms at the mall and some grocery stores. A lot of them have fine print at the bottom that says something to the effect of "by signing this you agree to calls from our affiliates" or something like that.

On a totally unrelated note, does anyone else hate those esurance commercials? Ugh! I just despise those. I really don't know why. They just Grind my Gears! (see? see what I did right there? I brought the title all the way around to include my extra little rant. that's talent, people!)

2 comments:

Hyman said...

I HATE those kind of calls too! I always feel so bad saying no and then they just keep coming at you! My mom always says "Sorry but I'm not interested" and then hangs up on them. Dumb me feels bad and just lets them talk and talk and I keep saying all cute "No I'm so sorry I can't but thank you" over and over......

barnmouse said...

I do the same thing! I just can't be mean! And I hate it when they talk so fast it takes me a minute to figure out what exactly it is that they want. Take a breath already!!!