🚀 go-pugleaf

In <1993Jan06.155008.13392@iqsc.COM> rex@iqsc.COM (Rex Black) writes:

>In my book, the real words of wisdom regarding phone salespeople are:  
>Never forget that you pay for the phone, and it is there for your 
>convenience, not the caller's.

This is not a sales pitch:  just a testimonial from a satisfied customer.

There is a guy/company in Illinois called "Private Citizen, Inc.", who
compiles a list of people who hate telemarketing calls.  It costs
$20.00, plus $5.00 for each additional number you want to "protect".

He sends out two lists every three months or so to a fairly large list
of telemarketers.  One list is just phone numbers (his subscribers),
with no other identification.  The other is the associated names and
addresses, with no phone numbers.  The second list is apparently for
legal purposes: see explanation below.

You can add your favorite annoyances to his list of telemarketers
(mine are the Dallas Morning News and the SMU Alumni Association).

The teeth in this arrangement is that he is serving notice to the
people that receive his lists that you accept telemarketing calls, FOR
A PRICE... $100.  The act of placing a telemarketing call to you
constitutes acceptance of the terms of the "contract".  You also agree
to provide a "verification" service: if they call you to confirm that
you are on the list, you make $100.  The name/address list is the
secondary verification, and upon request Private Citizen will provide
copies of the contract that you sign (naming them as your
representative) for inspection.

If you actually receive a call, and are able to identify the caller,
you simply notify Private Citizen, and if he has sent a list to them,
they get a bill (and you get the money).  I know this all sounds
crazy, but this guy has actually taken people to court and won.

Since I signed up, I have received exactly ONE telemarketing call, in
nearly three months.  Once again, it was the Dallas Morning News, but
I hadn't broken my habit of saying "I'm not interested", so I hung up
and maybe missed out on the money.  I'm waiting for another chance!

If you are interested, just call 1-800-CUT-JUNK.
--
Paul Barnett
MPP OS Development     (214)-497-4846
Convex Computer Corp.  Richardson, TX